Hyderabad twin bomb blasts: NIA court convicts 2 accused, acquits 2

It took eleven years for a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court to come to a conclusion to announce a judgement of twin blasts which killed 42 people in Hyderabad. After hearing the case, the court convicted two and acquitted two others in the case on Tuesday, however, the quantum of punishment will be decided on Monday.

Announcing the verdict, the court found Aneeq Shafeeq Sayeed and Ismail Chaudhary guilty in the inhuman act. The case relates to the bomb blasts that occurred at Gokul Chat eatery in Koti and the laser show auditorium at Lumbini Park around 7.45 pm on August 25, 2007. In the blast, 32 people were killed at Gokul Chat and 10 lost their lives at Lumbini Park. Also, more than 50 people were injured in the incident and the police had recovered an unexploded bomb from Dilsukhnagar that night.

In the previous hearing, the judgement was to take place on August 27, but was delayed to September 4 due to Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge T Srinivas Rao’s decision. Among the arrested people produced before the court through video conferencing from Cherlapalli Central Prison on August 27 include — Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed, Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash, Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik and Tarik Anjum.

Arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in October 2008, the accused — allegedly associated with the Indian Mujahideen — were charged under section 302 (murder) and other relevant provisions of the IPC and sections of Explosive Substances Act in the twin blasts.

According to the prosecution, presenting the case on behalf of the government, stated that Riyaz Bhatkal planted the bomb at Gokul Chat, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed allegedly planted the bomb at Lumbini Park and Ismail Chowdhari planted the unexploded bomb at Dilsukhnagar. As per to Telangana Police’s Counter Intelligence (CI) wing some of the accused are still absconding.

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