A Hyderabad court on Thursday acquitted all accused in the 2005 suicide bombing case. The Nampally Metropolitan Sessions Court said that the prosecution could not prove the case against the 10, reported The New Indian Express.
The suicide bombing took place at the Police Task Force office in Hyderabad’s Begumpet on October 12, 2005. A bomber from Bangladesh named Dallin had run towards the home guard and detonated the explosive, killing them both. Investigators had claimed that Bangladesh’s Harkat ul Jihad Islami was behind the attack and made several arrests.
All 10 accused – Mohammed Abdul Zahid, Abdul Kaleem, Mohammed Shakeel, Syed Haji, Ali Khan, Azmat Ali, Mahmood Baroodwala, Shaik Abdul Khaja, Nafees Biswas and Bilaluddin – were acquitted. The special investigation team of the Hyderabad Central Crime Station had claimed to have caught 13 of the 20 accused in the case, and the seven others are absconding, The Indian Express reported.
The counsel for the accused welcomed the verdict. “We are happy with the judgment given by the court,” the lawyer said. “Some have been in jail for 11 years and some for seven years. They have got the freedom to live now.”
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi also praised the ruling. In a message on Twitter, he asked whether the investigating officers would be held accountable for failing to prove the men guilty.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!