Mecca Masjid blast verdict

Hyderabad, April 16: 11 years after the Mecca Masjid bomb blast shook Hyderabad, an NIA special court in Nampally acquitted 5 accused in the case, including Aseemanand, citing lack of evidence.

In this perspective, the court said that the investigation agency had failed to prove anyone’s guilt. Ten persons, all members of Abhinav Bharat, including Nabakumar Sirkar alias Swami Aseemanand; Devender Gupta; Lokesh Sharma alias Ajay Tiwari, Lakshman Das Maharaj, Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajender Chowdhary were named as accused in the case.

Two accused, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange, are still shown as absconding. A key accused and RSS functionary, Sunil Joshi, was shot when the case was being investigated.

The court saw a heavy deployment of security personnel and all the roads leading to Nampally Court were blocked.

The bomb blast was the first major incident allegedly executed by the Hindu right-wing in the city.

There were many twists and turns in the investigation of the attack on the Masjid, which is adjacent to the historic Charminar in the Old City. The attack occurred on May 18, 2007.