Hyderabad twin blasts case: Indian Mujahideen suspects were sure of acquittal
HYDERABAD: The two men charge-sheeted in the Lumbini- Gokul blast case, who walked free on Tuesday — Farooq Sharfuddin Tarqish, 36, who was picked up from Pune, and Mohd Sadiq Sheikh, 44, caught in Trombay, Mumbai, — on two separate occasions expressed confidence that they will be acquitted in the 11-year-old blast case because the State Counter-Terror Intelligence who took up the investigation from OCTOPUS did not have sufficient evidence to prove them guilty. We will walk free they said even days before the verdict was announced.
This came to pass when the second additional metropolitan sessions Judge T. Srinivas Rao on September 4 pronounced both Tarqish and Shiekh not guilty and acquitted them. Sources from the Central Prison told this newspaper, “A few days before the September 4 verdict and once after the five terror attack accused were shifted to Cherlapally Jail, Tarqish and Shiekh in a conversation with the jail authorities, spoke in confidence that their lawyer had informed the State Counter intelligence had no concrete proof to impede them, they were sure of being acquitted. “We did not commit any crime”, were there words.”
The court proceedings on Tuesday, went on for two hours, the five accused dressed in normal clothes were taken into the court room at 10. 30 am. Two hours later, Tarqish and Shiekh walked out emotionless. Tuesday turned out to be another day for the five men lodged at the Cherlapally Jail. Sources informed that, the day began at 5.30 am. Hours before the judgment, the five did not show any emotion; they reportedly smiled at the jail staff before they entered the court.
Post the judgment too there was no display of emotion though two suspects Anique Shafiq Syed and Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdary were convicted.
The fate of the other suspect Md Tarique Anjum Ashan, 36, alias Badruz Zamm, nabbed from Okhla in New Delhi will be decided next Monday, when the quantum of punishment for the two convicts will be announced. Fortytwo persons were killed and over 60 persons injured in the blast at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park, on August 25, 2007, evening. The bomb blasts were reportedly executed to avenge the bomb blast at the Mecca Masjid (which killed eight and injured 58) and the subsequent police firing (which killed five persons).
