Dilsukhnagar blasts case: Will Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, 4 others be sent to gallows?

Hyderabad: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here is due to pronounce quantum of sentence in connection with 2013 Dilsukhnagar twin blasts case on Monday.

The NIA special court had on December 7 convicted banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Mohammed Ahmed Siddibappa alias Yasin Bhatkal and four others for their role in the twin blasts.

At least 17 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed and 131 injured in the twin blasts in Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar area on February 21, 2013.

The first bomb went off at Anand Tiffins, located opposite Konark Theatre at around 7.02 pm while the second bomb went off at 7.06 pm between Venkatadri theatre and Dilsukhnagar bus stand.

During the investigation, the NIA named six IM operatives for carrying out the deadly blasts.

The alleged key conspirator Riyaz Bhatkal, believed to be operating from Karachi, Pakistan is still at large while the five other accused namely Asadullah Akthar of Uttar Pradesh, Zia-ur-Rahman of Pakistan, Tahseen Akhthar of Bihar, Yasin Bhatkal of Karnataka and Aizaz Shaik of Maharashtra were arrested later and lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison in Hyderabad.

The convicts were tried under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and other relevant acts including IPC.

In its chargesheet, the NIA contented that Riyaz Bhatkal arranged supply of explosive substances and money while Asadullah Akhtar and Waqas received the explosives and the money. 

The NIA chargesheet read that with the help of Tahseen Akhtar, the accused prepared two IEDs and carried out the blasts.

Trial in the case had begun on August 24, 2015 and the final arguments in the case of terror attack were concluded on December. 

A total of 157 witnesses and over 500 documents were cited during the hearing.

In wake of the recent Bhopal Central jail break incident, the security inside the Cherlapally Central Prison has been tightened.

Of around half a dozen trials launched against the Indian Mujahideen's top operative Yasin Bhatkal in different state, the Hyderabad blasts case is the first to reach the judgement stage.

Meanwhile, the family members of the blast victims have demanded death sentence for the Indian Mujahideen members.