ATS files charge sheet against Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal

Four months after the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his close aide Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, the agency on Monday filed a supplementary charge sheet against the two in the 2011 Mumbai serial blasts case.

The charge sheet running into 542 pages was registered in the Maharashtra Control Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) special court, presided over by judge YD Shinde.

The charge sheet contains the statements of 59 witnesses recording the involvement of the two accused in the serial blasts. This is the first charge sheet by the ATS against Yasin Bhatkal.

It also names one more person, accused of involvement in the blasts case who is absconding.

Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told dna on Monday: "Now the prosecution has enough evidence on record to prove that Bhatkal and his aide were directly involved in the blasts."

A source in the ATS said the agency also had CCTV footage that showed Bhatkal planting a bomb and this would be used as evidence in the case.

The defence advocates in the case, however, said they had not received copies of the charge sheet. "As both the accused are lodged in Tihar jail, Delhi, the ATS officials have told the court they would hand over copies of the charge sheet to the two at the jail," said an advocate for Akhtar.