Ten out of the 14 accused, including principal accused Mohammed Pahelwan, in the attempt to murder MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in 2011 were acquitted today.
Ten out of the 14 accused, including principal accused Mohammed Pahelwan, in the sensational daylight attempt to murder MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, brother of Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, at a public function at Barkas in Old City on April 30, 2011, were acquitted by the criminal court at Nampally on Thursday.
The 2011 incident resulted in an attempt to murder case and another case under the Arms Act booked against Mohammad Pahelwan and his associates. After a prolonged six-year trial, VII Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge T Srinivas Rao pronounced the judgment holding four accused - Salim Bin, Abdullah Yafai, Awad and Omar Yafai - guilty as a video showed them pouncing on the MIM leader.
The judge sentenced them to undergo 10 years rigorous imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 8,500 each.
Ten others, including main accused Pahelwan Mohammed Bin Yafai, were not found guilty.
The defence counsel Guru Raghavendra however proved that the principal accused Pahelwan, who the police claimed masterminded the attack on the MIM legislator, was in Sangareddy at the time of the incident. Raghavendra argued that though his client Pahelwan was not in the city on the day of the incident, the police implicated him in the case with a malafide intention.
The judge was also convinced that there was no conspiracy angle.
Land disputes in the Old City had led to the daredevil attack on the MIM MLA for Chandrayangutta. The incident occurred around 11:20 am, when Owaisi, who had embarked on a padayatra in the area at 9 am, went to Peeli Dargah near the MIM party office at Barkas. He was accompanied by some 60 to 70 persons, including MIM Malakpet MLA Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala and party Barkas corporator Mansoor bin Mohammed Awalgi.
According to eyewitnesses, Owaisi picked up an argument with Younus bin Omar Yafai, resident of the house next to the dargah, and reportedly threatened that he would get them evicted from their premises. All of a sudden, some 10 people armed with deadly weapons arrived there and a clash ensued between the two groups. The Yafai group fired with revolvers and also stabbed Owaisi after he collapsed. Three bullets were recovered from Owaisi's abdomen and other parts. The MLA also sustained knife stab injuries at five places. He had to undergo treatment for 20 days, and three surgeries were performed to retrieve the bullets from his body.
From Owaisi's side, Mohammed Jani, personal security officer of Balala, also opened fire with his revolver and shot at the attackers. Ibrahim, 22, son of Younus, died of the bullet injuries while two of his brothers, Awad, 30, and Abdullah, 35, sustained injuries and were treated in a hospital.
The incident triggered tension in the Old City with MIM supporters converging in hundreds at Owaisi Hospital where Owaisi was admitted and the authorities deploying police personnel at vantage points and imposing Section 144 CrPC. The tension eased in the evening after it became clear that Owaisi was out of danger.
The police ensured tight security at the Nampally criminal courts complex on Thursday. Even the media was not allowed into the court premises.