Decision on Ahmed Siddibapa charges on August 1

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court earlier this month reserved its order on framing of charges in four terror cases against alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal and others. Additional sessions judge Sidharth Sharma said he would deliver the order on the 2010 Jama Masjid attack and two matters related to 2008 serial blasts on August 1. The court reserved the order after Ahmed's defense counsel M S Khan and the public prosecutor concluded their arguments. The cases include the blasts which took place in M Block in GK-I and Karol Bagh besides two others pertaining to the Jama Masjid shooting and blast in 2010. The accused have been charge-sheeted under various stringent provisions including charges of waging war and carrying out terror activities. On the point of framing of charges, the defense counsel argued that there was no material except the disclosure statements extracted from the accused and the prosecution did not have independent material to connect the accused with these incidents. The prosecution rebutted the defense's contention asserting that the charges should be framed against the accused. The court will on August 1 either frame charges, paving way for production of evidence, or discharge the accused. Ahmed, his aide Asadullah Akhtar and other alleged IM operatives are facing trial in various terror cases including 2010 Jama Masjid attack and 2008 serial blasts cases. On September 19, 2010, two bikers had fired upon tourists at the gate of Jama Masjid in which two Taiwan national had sustained bullet injuries. There was also a mild explosion from a bomb fitted in the car left in that area, the police had claimed. Note: The story was first published in Times of India and has been edited by www.Bhatkallys.com editor I. Zaorez Shabab before posting on this site