The National Investigation Agency (NIA) files a charge sheet in the Dilsukhnagar bomb blast case against two top operatives of the Indian Mujahideen.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet in the Dilsukhnagar bomb blast case against two top operatives of the Indian Mujahideen, Mohammed Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal alias Sharukh and Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi alias Tabrez alias Daniyal in the Special Court for NIA Cases, Hyderabad.
The offences for which the accused have been charge sheeted are: sections 302, 307, 324, 326, 316, 121, 121A, 122, 201 and 120B of the IPC; sections 3 & 5 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908; sections 10, 16, 17, 19, 20, 38 (2) and 39 (2) and section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.
In the twin explosions at Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad on 21 February 2013, 18 persons, including an unborn child in a womb, had lost their lives, and 131 persons injured.
The investigation of the case was started by the Malakpet and Saroornagar police immediately after the incident, that took place at about 7pm on 21 February.
Later, as per the orders of the government of India, NIA had taken over the investigation.
Involvement of the now charge sheeted accused in this case surfaced during their interrogation subsequent to their arrest by the NIA on 29 August 2013 from Raxaul on the Indo-Nepal border area. After the arrest of the two accused, the NIA had searched the hideout of Asadullah in Mangalore, and seized parts and materials which could be used for preparation of more IEDs. These items included ammonium nitrate, diodes, connected wires, timers and batteries. By the arrest of the accused and further seizure of these materials, NIA had ripped off the move of the IM to conduct more blasts.
Through the NIA's investigation, it has been established that the Indian Mujahideen had hatched a high-level conspiracy to wage war against India, and had decided to conduct bomb blasts in Hyderabad to create terror in the minds of people and to further the activities of the Indian Mujahideen.
The main operative of the module, Riyaz Bhatkal, who is named as the first accused in the case, had directed his associates Asadullah Akhtar and Waqas to find a place in Mangalore to be used as a hide-out for explosive materials sent by him.
After receiving the materials sent by Riyaz Bhatkal through an unknown person, and the money sent by him by way of hawala and other channels, Asadullah Akhtar and Waqas reached Hyderabad and started working with Tahseen Akhthar alias Monu, who had already reached Hyderabad and was living in a hideout in Abdullapurmet in Hyderabad.
The three of them prepared two IEDs while staying there. The other materials needed to make the bomb, including a pressure cooker and timers, were arranged in Hyderabad. After the bomb was made, on February 21, they mounted two IEDs on two bicycles (purchased by them for the purpose of mounting the IEDs), and planted them in two separate places in Dilsukhnagar.
The NIA investigation has brought to evidence all the financial help received by the accused from abroad.
The NIA also learnt that the miscreants, after procuring the explosive materials to Hyderabad, had conducted a test blast in a hillock near Abdullapurmet in Hyderabad. Several incriminating materials, in the form of remnants of exploded bombs, were recovered from the test blast site and brought to evidence.
The main feature of the conspiracy of the accused was that they had been communicating through the Internet, chatting with each other throughout the planning, finding suitable hideouts, purchasing materials for the bombs, until the final escape. They were also found to have used proxy servers to hide their identity.
DNA fingerprints extracted from the hideouts of Asadullah Akhtar and the absconding accused Tahseen were compared with the DNA of Asadullah Akhtar and the father of Tahseen. The result of the examination established the presence of Asadullah Akhtar and Tahseen. The call records of all the mobile phones used by the accused during their operation were analysed, and also established their movements.
The NIA had found that after the incident, Asadullah Akhtar and Waqas had left to Bangalore. Thereafter, Asadullah Akhtar left to Bihar and later reached Nepal, and had taken shelter with Mohammed Ahmed Siddibapa. The role of Riyaz Bhatkal harbouring the other accused in Nepal was also unearthed by the NIA. Investigations reveal that Riyaz Bhatkal is now in Pakistan.
The role of Yaseen Bhatkal, who was in Nepal, in the planning, procurement of explosives, and harbouring of Asadullah Akhthar after the incident, was also unearthed by the NIA.
In this investigation, a total of 440 witnesses were examined, and 251 documents and 300 material objects were seized. Extensive cyber forensic evidence was gathered and placed on record as evidence.
The investigation in respect of the absconding accused is continuing, the NIA said in a press release. (INN)