After 11-year, court delivers verdict in Hyderabad twin blasts case; 2 convicted

Hyderabad, September 4: The terrific twin blast that rocked Hyderabad eleven years ago, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court finally announced its verdict convicting two and acquitted the two others in the case on Tuesday. The twin blasts at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park in 2007 that claimed 44 lives and left 68 injured.

The two accused in the case are namely Aneeq Shafeeq Sayeed and Ismail Chaudhary who have been convicted in the case. On August 27, Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge T Srinivas Rao postponed the judgment in the case to September 4. The Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the Telangana Police had investigated the case and arrested five accused, all alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives.

Two blasts had occurred at Gokul Chat eatery in Koti and the laser show auditorium at Lumbini Park around 7.45 pm on August 25, 2007. While 32 people were killed at Gokul Chat, 10 lost their lives at Lumbini Park. More than 50 were injured. An unexploded bomb was also recovered from Dilsukhnagar that night.

The agency had filed four charge sheets against the five accused and also named two other absconding accused, Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal. Those arrested Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed, Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash, Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik and Tarik Anjum were produced before the court on August 27 through video conferencing from Cherlapalli Central Prison, where they are currently lodged.

The accused were charged under section 302 (murder) and other relevant provisions of the IPC and sections of Explosive Substances Act in connection with the twin blasts on August 25, 2007, and also with regard to the recovery of an unexploded bomb found under a foot over bridge at Dilsuknagar area here.