CBI files chargesheet in Mecca Masjid blast case

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday filed a chargesheet in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case in Hyderabad against Devendra Gupta and Lokesh Sharma, who were also allegedly involved in Ajmer blasts in the same year, accusing them of murder and other offences.

The central agency filed the chargesheet running into about 80 pages against Gupta and Sharma, who allegedly have links with a right-wing Hindu outfit, in the XIV Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court.

The chargesheet cites 205 witnesses and over 100 documents, a CBI officer said.

A cell phone-triggered pipe bomb explosion inside the Mecca Masjid during Friday prayers on May 18, 2007 left nine dead and 70 injured. Five people were killed in police firing in the clashes that erupted after the blast.

The CBI, which registered a case in June 2007, has so far named six persons, all allegedly having links with a right-wing Hindu outfit, as accused in the case and brought Gupta and Sharma, from Rajasthan to Hyderabad on June 17 as part of its probe.

The prime accused in the case Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra alias Ramji, are still absconding while another accused Swami Asimanand is being interrogated by the agency. One more accused Sunil Joshi was killed by three gunmen in 2007.

Gupta and Sharma, who are presently in judicial remand here, have been charged under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) in the chargesheet.

They were also charged under sections 3, 4 and 5 of Explosive Substance Act 1908 and under Sections 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 23 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, the CBI officer, who was part of the investigation, said.

Meanwhile, CBI counsel P Vikram also filed two separate petitions before the court seeking its permission for carrying out further investigations into the case under Section 173 (8) of the CrPC and Section 44 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

According to the investigating agency, the terrorist act in Mecca Masjid was committed pursuant to a criminal conspiracy by the six accused.

"Once after arresting the absconding accused and completing the further investigations into the blast case, we will file a supplementary chargesheet which would name more accused," the CBI officer said.

The officer claimed that the six accused were very angry about the jihadi terrorist attacks on temples and killing of Hindus in different parts of the country.

"They (six accused) felt that jihadi terrorists were able to carry out the terror attacks and get away because they had the support of Muslims in India."

The six along with some more persons were hatching a conspiracy since 2005 to give a strong reply to the terror attacks and were motivated by Swami Asimanand who reportedly declared 'Bomb Ka Jawab...Bomb se dena hai' (a bomb should be answered with a bomb), the officer claimed.

It was after the terror attack at Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple in Varanasi in 2006 that the six accused along with others finally decided to retaliate and made arrangements within a short span of 10 days.

According to the officer, Gupta facilitated in procuring the SIM cards through fake documents, while Sharma bought the mobile phones three weeks prior to the Mecca Masjid blast for Ramchandra and Dange.

The bombs were assembled here with material procured from Madhya Pradesh. Of the two pipe bombs, attached to cellphones that were placed inside the Mecca Masjid, only one exploded. Two other bombs were used in the Ajmer blasts in October 2007, he explained.

"Eleven SIM cards were procured and one of the SIM was found from the unexploded bomb at the Masjid."

The Mecca Masjid blast was carried out after a well planned recee by Sharma, who passed on the information to Joshi, Dange and Kalsangra.

The trio came to Secunderabad two-three days prior to the blast and allegedly carried out the task on May 18.

The cellphone-detonated bombs were similar in Ajmer and Mecca Masjid blasts, with RDX-TNT mix in proportion, he said, adding that each bomb contained 200 to 300 grams of 'Cyclotol' (high grade explosive), with the explosive consisting mixtures of 90-95 per cent of RDX and TNT.