IM man discharged in 11/7 blasts case

A special MCOCA court on Monday discharged an alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative, Sadiq Shaikh, in the July 11, 2006, serial blasts case.

The Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) had arrested Shaikh on February 21 after the confession recorded by the police in the IM case stated that his group was responsible for the 11/7 serial train blasts.

Shaikh admitted that alleged IM founder, Riyaz Bhatkal, Arif Badr, and “other boys” were responsible for the 2005 Delhi blasts, 2005 Shramjivi Express blasts, 2006 Varanasi Sankat Mochan temple blasts and the 2006 Mumbai train blasts. Shaikh has been booked for conspiring in last year’s Delhi and Ahmedabad blasts, and for planting unexploded bombs in Surat.

In its order, the court said it was “satisfied” with the state ATS’s investigation into the alleged link between Shaikh and the train blasts case. In its application, the ATS sought Shaikh’s release on grounds of deficit evidence, and stated that it had investigated all possible angles related to Shaikh and found no material against him in the 11/7 blasts.

Shaikh also gave a statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, where he reportedly denied all allegations.

“Shaikh has deep roots with terrorist groups and appears to know Riyaz Bhatkal, but has no links with the 11/7 blasts,” the ATS application stated, adding that Shaikh was subjected to scientific tests which also revealed that there was no link.

Thirteen accused have been booked in the 11/7 blasts case, most of who are SIMI members and have alleged links with the terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Tayiba.