Khalid Mujahid's death: UP cops among 42 named in FIR

An FIR was lodged Sunday against 42 persons including a retired top UP police officer and a senior serving cop for alleged conspiracy in connection with the death of serial blasts accused Khalid Mujahid even as the state government recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the incident.

According to police sources, Mujahid's uncle Zaheer Alam lodged an FIR early Sunday morning against 42 persons including several police officials for criminal conspiracy in connection with the incident at the Kotwali police station in Barabanki

They have been booked under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 302 (murder) of the IPC, they said. The individual roles of those mentioned in the FIR was not clear.

Mujahid, an accused in serial blasts that had rocked Lucknow and Faizabad courts in November 2007, died Saturday after he fell sick and fainted near Barabanki border while being escorted to Lucknow jail after a court hearing.

A government spokesperson Sunday said that the Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into Mujahid's death.

"On the request of Mujahid's family members, the government has recommended CBI probe into the case," he said.

Alam has alleged in his complaint that his nephew was abducted by the Special Task Force from Madiyahon in Jaunpur district on December 16, 2007 and later arrested on the "false claim" that he had been found with explosives near Barabanki railway station.

He also alleged that the abduction and framing of Mujahid in the serial blasts at Lucknow and Faizabad court premises was the result of a conspiracy hatched by several police officials including a former top retired police officer and a senior serving cop.

In the FIR, Alam has stated that after Mujahid was found to be falsely implicated by R D Nimesh Commission, the government had moved an application for withdrawal of cases against Mujahidin in a Barabanki court which was rejected on May 10.

Alam said that the government had decided to challenge the order in a higher court, in which case Mujahid would have been a key witness against the accused policemen in the case.

He alleged that "as a part of the pre-planned conspiracy Mujahid was killed while returning from the hearing in a Faizabad court."

Mujahid was being taken back to Lucknow jail after the hearing when he fell sick and fainted near Barabanki border. He was rushed to a district hospital, where doctors declared him dead Saturday evening.

He was also an accused in the 2007 Gorakhpur blasts case.

UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had ordered a probe into the death Saturday night. The inquiry would be conducted by a committee comprising the Secretary (Home) and an ADG or DIG-level officer.

The state government had filed a plea on April 26 to withdraw cases against Mujahid and another accused Tariq Qasmi in 2007 serial blasts in Lucknow, Faizabad and Gorakhpur.

However, a special court in Barabanki on May 10 rejected the UP government's plea. The two accused were arrested on December 20, 2007 with the police alleging that they were carrying arms and explosives.

The UP government had requested the court that it wanted to withdraw the case in "public interest and for the sake of communal harmony", but had not elaborated further.