NIA court acquits Aseemanand, 3 others in Samjhauta train bombing case

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Wednesday acquitted main accused Swami Aseemanand and three other accused in the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing case. Mukesh Garg, counsel for Aseemanand, told reporters that the court acquitted them as the NIA was not able to prove the charges. Others acquitted are Kamal Chauhan, Rajinder Chaudhary and Lokesh Sharma. “The court has said that the NIA has not been able to establish any charges against the accused and hence all accused are acquitted,” said Mr. Garg. Aseemanand, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member, was the prime accused in the case. The blasts on the train near Panipat on February 18, 2007, killed 68 people and injured a dozen. Pak. woman's plea dismissed Earlier, the court dismissed an application filed by Pakistan woman Rahila Wakeel in connection with the case. Momin Malik, counsel for Wakeel, told reporters that the court dismissed her application filed on March 11 to get her statement recorded as witness in the case. “We will now approach the High Court to challenge the decision,” he said. Rahila Wakeel is the daughter of one of the victims of the blasts. Source: The Hindu