Two convicted in Gokul Chat, Lumbini Park blasts case

Almost eleven years after 42 people were killed in twin blasts here, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Tuesday convicted Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari (accused No 1) and Aneeq Shafique Sayeed (A2) out of five accused. Judge T Srinivasa Rao will decide the quantum of punishment on 10 September. Rao, the designated court judge pronounced the judgment at the highly secured Cherlapally Central Jail on Tuesday noon.

The sensational blasts at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park on the evening of 25 August of 2007 claimed 42 lives and left 68 injured. While ten lost their lives at the Lumbini Park another 30 died at Gokul chat in Kothi. Several of the injured lost their limbs or became partially challenged.

Counter Intelligence wing of the Telangana police investigated the case and arrested five accused, all owing allegiance to the banned Indian Mujahideen (IM). Three are still absconding. Tariq Anjum, the fifth arrested accused was charged with providing shelter to the accused after the blasts. The court is yet to decide on his involvement. The court set Sayeed Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash and Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaikh free of charges.

Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal are among those absconding.

The Counter Intelligence filed four charge sheets against Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed, Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash, Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik and Tarik Anjum. According to the prosecution, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed allegedly planted the bomb at Lumbini Park opposite to the state secretariat; Riyaz Bhatkal planted the bomb at the always crowded Gokul Chat at Koti commercial centre while the unexploded bomb at Dilsukhnagar was planted by Ismail Chowdhari.

All the arrested accused have been in judicial remand at Cherlapally Central Jail. The judge originally posted the case for judgment on 27 August but, deferred it to 4 September.

Asad says no justice for victims
Hyderabad MP and AMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi in a tweet immediately after the verdict said that “Farooq and Sadiq have been in prison from 2009 and after nine years court finds then not guilty acquits them and their lawyer Abdul Azeem tells me evidence was circumstantial and eyewitness who were found after one year of offence”.
“No closure, justice for the victims’ families, pain continues” he tweeted.