16 years on, CID nabs church blasts suspect from Hyderabad

Sheikh Amir Ali belonged to banned Deendar Anjuman group

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths arrested an accused involved in the serial blasts that rocked churches in Hubballi, Bengaluru and Wadi in 2000.

The sleuths arrested the suspect identified as Sheikh Amir Ali alias Amir Ali, 36, a resident of Nalgonda district, Telangana, in Hyderabad on Monday.

“Ali was involved in the blast at SS Peter And Paul's Church in Jagjivanramnagar in Bengaluru on July 9, 2000. He was absconding for the last 16 years. The First ACMM court had issued a warrant against him on April 8, 2016. A special team was formed to arrest him. The team kept watching his movements in Hyderabad. The Hyderabad police helped the CID sleuths in arresting Ali,” a senior police officer told Deccan Herald.

The blasts were plotted in October 1999 in Hyderabad during the death anniversary of Hazrath Moulana Siddiquie, the founder of Deendar Anjuman sect. Ali was present at the meeting where the conspiracy was hatched, police said. Siddique’s four sons, who migrated to Pakistan, were also present at the meeting. Ali supplied logistics in carrying out the blast at JJ Nagar, police said.

There were four explosions in Karnataka. Two bombs exploded at St Anne's Church, Wadi in Kalaburagi on June 8, 2000. A month later on July 8, 2000, bombs exploded at St John's Lutheran Church, Hubballi. There was an explosion at St Peter Paul Church, JJ Nagar, Bengaluru, on July 9, 2000 at 10.15 pm. The rear wall of the church and windowpanes were completely destroyed in the blast. The suspects were travelling in a van transporting bombs after setting off explosions at JJ Nagar. The bombs in the van went off accidentally on Magadi Road killing Zakir  while S M Ibrahim was injured.

The suspects involved in the blasts were members of Deendar Channabasaveshwara Anjuman. They carried out the blasts to trigger religious violence across the country, police said.

The CID filed a charge sheet against 19 persons in the first blast case.
The charge sheet was filed against 19 others in the second blast case. The police filed the charge sheet against 29 persons in the third case. Fifteen persons faced trial in the first case, while 16 in the second case and 17 in the third.

Police arrested 29 persons in connection with the blasts. The court awarded death penalty to 11 and life imprisonment to 12 others. Six persons are still at large, including the five who are hiding in Pakistan. The court has also issued warrants against them. 

Outfit was formed to spread peace

Hazrath Moulana Syed Siddique Hassan established Deendar Anjuman in 1924 to preach peace and religious harmony. He claimed to be the reincarnation of social reformer Channabasaveshwara. However, Siddique’s followers wanted to spread Islam across India. They considered Islam to be the only complete religion. They had three hidden agendas  -- spreading religious hatred, extortion and waging a holy war on India. The court had taken action against them for spreading religious violence in 1934 under CrPC provisions. The Union government banned the outfit in 2001.