New Delhi: After a gap of more than a decade, New Delhi Patiala House Court on Thursday delivered its verdict in the 2005 Delhi serial bomb blasts case, sentencing accused Tariq Ahmed Dar to 10 years in prison and acquitting Mohammed Rafiq Shah and Mohammed Hussain Fazili of all charges.
The verdict is being perceived as a setback for the Delhi Police as none of the accused was convicted under terror charges. Tariq Ahmed Dar has been convicted under Section 38 and Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, slapping charges of terror funding.
Sources confirmed to CNN-News18 that none of the accused were the bomb planters, but only conspirators.
“Tareeq was the one who had supported the main conspirator, Abu Kama, for which he has been convicted," said the source.
It was alleged by the Delhi Police that Tareeq had received Rs 14 lakh through hawala route, but there was no evidence to show what this fund was meant for. The main evidence against Dar also faltered. It was a recorded phone conversation between him and a Lashkar handler, but Delhi Police failed to provide any details regarding the electronic device which was used to record the conversation.
Besides one witness, who was a hotel receptionist, the Delhi Police could not provide any other evidence to show that Tariq Dar had come to Delhi. The court concluded that it cannot be said that Dar had “hatched a conspiracy" and thus no terror charges were made against him and the two others.
The Delhi Special Cell told CNN-News18 they would be taking a decision on whether to approach a higher court or not after a proper perusal of the verdict.
Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh, who was scheduled to announce the order on Monday, had scheduled it for Thursday. The court in 2008 framed charges against Dar, the alleged mastermind, and the other two for waging war against the state, conspiring, collecting arms, murder and attempt to murder.
The Delhi Police chargesheeted Dar, mentioning his call details that allegedly proved he was in touch with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives.
Three days before Diwali, on October 29, 2005, three serial bomb explosions ripped through the Capital, leaving 63 dead and more than 100 injured. It was then the biggest terror strike in India outside Kashmir, since the Bombay blasts of 1993. Paharganj, Sarojini Nagar and Govindpuri were the areas targeted.
Investigators believe that the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba was behind the attacks.
Speaking to CNN-News18, Kiran Saluja, wife of blast victim Lal Chand Saluja, said justice was not delivered and the crime called for capital punishment.
“We haven’t got justice. 12 years is a long time. We expected capital punishment," said Saluja.
Timeline of the blasts
5:38 pm | Paharganj — First blast takes place in the main market near the New Delhi Railway Station
6:00 pm | Govindpuri — Second blast near a bus in Govindpuri area in the southern part of Delhi
6:05 pm | Sarojini Nagar —Third explosion within minutes of the second explosion in south Delhi’s busy Sarojini Nagar market, which was the worst hit with 43 casualties and 28 injured.
Comments
0 comment