A special National Investigation Agency court in Hyderabad on Tuesday convicted five members of the Indian Mujahideen in connection with the 2013 Dilsukhnagar twin blasts case. The court will pronounce their sentences on December 19, reported ANI.
This is the first time that members of the Indian Mujahideen member have been convicted by an Indian court, according to PTI. Those convicted include IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, Pakistani national Zia-ur-Rahman, Asadullah Akhtar, Tahaseen Akhtar and Aijaz Sheikh. All of them are currently lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison, reported dna. However, the main accused and the group’s founder Riyaz Bhatkal is still absconding.
In its chargesheets, the NIA had said that the accused got financial help from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence. The agency had produced 158 witnesses and submitted 201 pieces of evidence seized from the blast site. They had also given more than 500 incriminating documents to the court, reported The New Indian Express. The five accused were tried under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosives Substances Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code.
On February 21, 2013, 18 people were killed and 131 injured when two bombs exploded in Hyderabad’s Dilsukhnagar area. While the first explosion took place at a bus stop, the second blast was in a shopping arena.
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