Hyderabad Mecca Masjid Blast: Verdict to be pronounced shortly

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Hyderabad: The verdict in Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid blast in 2007 will be announced by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in a short while. Prime accused Aseemanand has been presented in front of the court in Hyderabad's Nampally area on Monday morning.

Meeca Masjid blast verdict: Accused Aseemanand brought to Namapally Court #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/xMtUBwBSkO — ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018

Eleven years ago, on May 18, 2007, a powerful blast killed nine people and injured 58 during Friday prayers at Mecca Masjid near Hyderabad’s Charminar. The blast was allegedly carried out by a group of right-wing terrorists.

The NIA took over the case from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2011,

Ten people were named as accused by the central probing agency. However, only five – Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajendra Chowdhary – were arrested.

Two accused persons – Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra – are absconding. Another accused Sunil Joshi was murdered during the probe.

A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited.

Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar are out on bail while three others are lodged in the central prison here under judicial remand.

In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case.

With agency inputs