Delhi court to frame charges in Batla encounter

A Delhi court is likely to frame charges on September 20 against a suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorist in the sensational Batla House encounter in which a Delhi Police Inspector was killed in 2008.

"Fix the matter for remaining arguments and framing of charges against the accused on September 20, the next date of hearing," Additional Sessions Judge A K Kuhar said. The framing of charges would pave the way for start of trial against Shahzad in the case related to the encounter in which Inspector M C Sharma of Special Cell of Delhi police and two alleged IM terrorists were killed on September 19, 2008.

Earlier, the court had provided a copy of chargesheet to Shahzad, the lone arrested accused in the encounter which took place at L-18 flat in Batla House here. Besides Sharma, two IM suspects Atif Ameen and Mohammed Sajid, who were holed up in the flat, were also killed in the gun-battle. Fourth accused Ariz Khan is still absconding in the case which was registered at Jamia Nagar police station here.

The police had on April 28 this year filed the chargesheet against Shahzad, Ariz Khan (absconding), Atif Ameen and Mohammed Sajid, accusing them of killing Inspector Sharma on September 19, 2008, six days after the serial blasts here.

A team of the Anti-terror cell of Delhi police had raided a house at Batla House following a tip-off that suspected IM terrorists, allegedly involved in the serial blasts in the capital on September 13, 2008, were hiding there.