HC blast executed to commute Afzal Guru's death penalty: NIA

The National Investigation Agency today told a court here that the conspiracy of terror attack at the reception of Delhi High Court last year was hatched with an aim to get commuted the death sentence awarded to December 2001 Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru.

In a 1062-page chargesheet filed before District Judge H S Sharma during an in-camera hearing, NIA said two Pakistani nationals Abu Bilal and Abu Saifullah had allegedly planted the bomb at the entrance of gate number five of the High Court which killed 17 persons and injured over 90.

The agency filed the chargesheet against six persons, including three arrested accused Wasim Akram Malik, Amir Abbas Dev and a minor and Amir Kamal, Junaid Akram Malik and Shakir Hussain Seikh alias Chota Hafiz, who are members of the banned terror outfit Hizb-ul Mujahideen and evading arrest.

The agency said the entire conspiracy was hatched between June and September last year at Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir by Wasim Akram Malik and other co-accused to "threaten the judiciary" so that the death sentence of Afzal Guru might get repealed.

The probe agency said the process of proclamation against the three absconding accused has already been initiated and a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each has been announced for giving information about their whereabouts, the sources said.

The chargesheet against the accused has been filed under various sections of the IPC dealing with murder, criminal conspiracy, waging war against the nation, attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt and others.

Besides these, the accused have also been charged under various sections of the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.