A special court on Monday awarded death sentence to two Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives in the August 25, 2007, twin bomb blasts case in Hyderabad which claimed 42 lives.

Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari and Aneeq Shafique Sayeed were also given life sentence in the case of an unexploded bomb recovered from Dilsukhnagar.

Tariq Anjum, another accused who provided shelter to the culprits in Delhi after the blasts, was given life sentence.

Judge T Srinivasa Rao delivered the judgement inside Cherlapally Central Jail amid tight security. Special public prosecutor Sesha Reddy told reporters outside the court that the judgement would be sent to the high court for confirmation of death sentence.

Akbar and Aneeq pleaded innocence and requested the court to set them free as they had to take care of aged parents. Three accused — including Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal — are absconding.

The blasts at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park had killed 42 people. Many of the injured lost their limbs or became partially disabled.

The CI filed four chargesheets against Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed, Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash and Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik. Farooq and Mohammed Sadiq were discharged of the charges, as the prosecution could not substantiate the charges. The court named Akbar and Aneeq culprits in the judgement delivered on September 4.

‘Justice at last’

Temple painter Papalal, who adopted a Muslim girl whose parents were killed in the blasts, said, “Justice took a long time. Many innocent people lost their kin in the blast,” he said. Sania Fatima, Papalal’s adopted daughter, said, “I will never see them (parents) again and never know where I belonged to.”

Papalal was ostracised by his community for bringing home a Muslim girl.