Telangana High Court Affirms Death Sentences for Five in 2013 Hyderabad Bombing Case
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On April 8, the Telangana High Court upheld the death sentences for five convicts, including Yaseen Bhatkal and a Pakistani national, linked to the 2013 Hyderabad bomb blasts that killed 18 and injured many others. The court dismissed their appeals against the earlier ruling from a special NIA court.
Key Takeaways
- The Telangana High Court confirmed death sentences for five bomb blast convicts.
- Convicts include Yaseen Bhatkal, an IM co-founder.
- The 2013 blasts in Dilsukhnagar resulted in 18 deaths.
- The NIA presented significant evidence during the trial.
- Future appeals to the Supreme Court are planned by the convicts.
Hyderabad, April 8 (NationPress) The Telangana High Court on Tuesday reaffirmed the death sentences issued to five individuals, including Yaseen Bhatkal, a co-founder of the banned group Indian Mujahideen, and a Pakistani national, in connection with the 2013 bomb blasts in Hyderabad.
A division bench comprising Justice K. Lakshman and Justice P. Sree Sudhha rejected the appeals made by the convicts contesting the ruling of a special NIA court from 2016.
Along with Bhatkal, also known as Ahmed Siddibappa Zaraar, and Zia ur Rehman, alias Waqas, the other convicts include Asadullah Akhtar, alias Haddi, Tahseen Akhtar, alias Monu, and Aizaz Saeed Shaik, alias Aijaz Shaikh. They were sentenced for various crimes, including waging war against the nation, engaging in criminal conspiracy, and murder.
The twin explosions in the Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad on February 21, 2013, resulted in the tragic deaths of 18 individuals, including an unborn child, and left 131 others injured.
All five were found guilty of serious charges such as waging war against the nation, criminal conspiracy, and murder.
The death sentences were imposed under sections 302 A and 121 of the Indian Penal Code, section 3B of the Explosive Substances Act, and section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The attorney representing one of the convicts, Aijaz Shaikh, indicated plans to appeal to the Supreme Court after reviewing the High Court's decision.
Two of the convicts are currently held in Cherlapally Jail in Hyderabad, while the others are incarcerated in different facilities across the country, facing additional charges related to other terrorism cases.
Yaseen Bhatkal is the sibling of Riyaz Bhatkal, believed to be the mastermind behind the attacks and currently evading arrest, suspected to be in hiding in Pakistan. The NIA has issued an Interpol Red Corner notice for him.
The Bhatkal brothers hail from Bhatkal in Karnataka, while Rehman is from Mustafabad in Pakistan's Punjab province. Asadullah Akhtar is from Uttar Pradesh, and Tahseen Akhtar and Aizaz Saeed are from Bihar and Maharashtra, respectively.
During the proceedings regarding the convicts' appeals, the NIA lawyers supported the death penalties, arguing that the defendants orchestrated and executed the bombings, resulting in numerous fatalities, and later attempted another attack.
The investigative agency submitted three charge sheets for the case, with formal charges against the five individuals being established on July 16, 2015, and the trial beginning on August 24 of the same year.
Throughout the trial, a total of 157 witnesses were examined.
The two explosions, which utilized improvised explosive devices (IEDs), occurred within a span of six seconds, merely 100 meters apart in crowded areas of Dilsukhnagar during the evening of February 21, 2013. The first blast happened at the 107 bus stop, while the second occurred near the A1 Mirchi Centre.
