2 convicted for 2007 twin blasts in Hyderabad, sentencing on Monday

Hyderabad: Two people have been convicted for twin blasts in Hyderabad in 2007.

Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed have been convicted by a court on Tuesday.

The sentencing will be announced on September 10.

Meanwhile, the court has acquitted - Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash and Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik.

The verdict was pronounced by the Second Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court on Tuesday at a special courtroom set up in Cherlapally Central Prison.

The court had decided to give the verdict on the premises of the special court at the high-security jail, where the five arrested accused have been confined for the last three years.

The blasts that took place on August 25, 2007 claimed lives of 43 people and injured 68.

Following the investigation, OCTOPUS, the counter intelligence wing of the Telangana Police, arrested five people — Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed, Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash, Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik and Tarik Anjum.

All the five arrested accused were alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives.

Three other accused — Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Amer Reza Khan — are still at large.

According to the prosecution, Aneeq Shafique Sayeed allegedly planted the bomb at Lumbini Park while Riyaz Bhatkal planted the bomb at Gokul Chat while the unexploded bomb was planted by Ismail Chowdhari.

Tarik Anjum is accused of giving shelter to the other accused after the blasts.

The near simultaneous blasts took place at the popular eatery Gokul Chat and at the open air theatre at Lumbini Park, a few metres away from the state secretariat.