The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has announced its intention to challenge the recent acquittal of Abdul Karim Tunda in the 1993 Mumbai train bombings case.
This follows a judgment delivered by a special court in Ajmer on Thursday.
While the court convicted and sentenced 12 individuals, including Irfan and Hamir-Ul-Uddin, to life imprisonment under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), Tunda's acquittal has prompted the CBI to file an appeal in the Supreme Court.
The agency is currently scrutinising the judgment to prepare the grounds for its appeal.
It is pertinent to recall that a series of coordinated blasts ripped through six long-distance trains, including the prestigious Rajdhani Express, across Lucknow, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Surat, and Mumbai on the intervening night of December 5th and 6th, 1993.
These attacks tragically claimed the lives of two individuals and left 22 injured. The CBI subsequently registered five separate FIRs to investigate these heinous acts.
"The investigation disclosed that the various accused persons entered into a criminal conspiracy with the object to over-awe the Government established by law, spreading terror in public at large and to create disharmony among different communities of the country by committing terrorist acts, like bomb explosions in the running prestigious trains in different parts of the country, on the occasion of first anniversary of demolition of a structure at Ayodhya," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
The agency had filed charge sheets against 21 accused of which 15 were awarded life sentence 20 years ago on February 28, 2004 by a TADA court in Ajmer. The Supreme Court had upheld the sentence of 10 of these convicts.
The 81-year-old Tunda, a close aide of wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was one of the accused of carrying out the blasts to mark the first anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. He was arrested in 2013 from at a hamlet near the India-Nepal border.
"On February 29, 2024, the TADA Court, Ajmer pronounced the judgment vide which the Trial court sentenced accused persons namely Hameer-UL-Uddin and Irfan Ahmed to Life Imprisonment and acquitted one accused (Tunda)," the CBI spokesperson said. On the intervening night of 5-6th December, 1993, a series of explosions were caused in the six prestigious trains of the country. Initially, 5 criminal cases were registered in the jurisdiction of local GRP Stations.
Subsequently, the Govt. of India issued notifications dated 21.12.93 and 28.12.93 entrusting investigation of these cases to DSPE, Central Bureau of Investigation. Consequently, 05 Regular Cases were registered in CBI and investigation was carried out.
The investigation disclosed that the various accused persons entered into a criminal conspiracy with the object to over-awe the Government established by law, spreading terror in public at large and to create disharmony among different communities of the country by committing terrorist acts, like bomb explosions in the running prestigious trains in different parts of the country, on the occasion of first anniversary of demolition of a structure at Ayodhya.
After completion of investigation, charge-sheets were filed by CBI on different dates against the 21 accused persons in the Designated TADA Court, Ajmer. The Supplementary Chargesheet was filed against the Proclaimed offenders including Hameer-UL-Uddin.
The proclaimed offenders including Hameer-UL-Uddin were later apprehended by CBI. Thereafter, the trial commenced against them in the Tada Court, Ajmer.
On 29.02.2024, the TADA Court, Ajmer pronounced the judgment vide which the Hon’ble Trial court sentenced accused persons namely Hameer-UL-Uddin and Irfan Ahmed to Life Imprisonment and acquitted the accused.
CBI undertook thorough investigation, collected collaborative evidences, which were upheld by the trial Court. During the trial, CBI produced a number of evidences, witnesses, which has led to the conviction of as many as 12 accused.
Two persons were killed and at least 22 injured in the explosions in Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express, Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Surat-Baroda Flying Queen Express and Hyderabad-New Delhi AP Express.
"The court has acquitted Abdul Karim Tunda of all the charges framed against him. He is completely innocent. He has been acquitted of every section of every Act by the court. The prosecution could not provide enough evidences to prove the charges," his counsel Shafquatullah Sultani told reporters in Ajmer.
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