NEW DELHI, Sep 26:
A Delhi court today acquitted two suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists accused of plotting terror strikes ahead of Independence Day in 2009 at the instance of Pakistan-based HM chief Syed Salahuddin.
Additional Sessions Judge Atul Kumar Garg acquitted Javed Ahmed Tantray and Ashiq Ali Bhatt saying the whole case was planted.
Both Tantray (35) and Bhatt (30) were arrested on August 6, 2009 by Delhi Police from Darya Ganj in the walled city area here along with huge cache of arms and ammunition.
The duo were allegedly arrested, based on a tip-off while they had parked their car near Mahavir Vatika in Darya Ganj and Tantray had gone to make an ISD call.
They have been acquitted of all charges under the stringent anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.
The police had alleged they had entered India from Pakistan via Nepal on the instructions of Salahuddin to carry out strikes and had come to Delhi from Jammu in a stolen car.
The probe agency had claimed to have recovered from the car parcels containing two AK 47 rifles, magazines and hand grenades.
Their counsel M S Khan had argued during the trial that the duo have been implicated by the police only to gain publicity and out-of-turn promotions and there is no evidence to show their connection with any terror outfit.
He had also showed the car, in which they have been accused of coming from Jammu, as per the toll plaza entries, was in fact driven to Jammu in the morning by somebody and then driven back to Delhi and later falsely shown to be in possession of the accused persons.
Khan had also said police failed to show any DD entry in Darya Ganj police station in respect of such a major operation and the time of various police personnel reaching the spot also does not inspire confidence in police version of the operation of arrests.
He had also submitted the prosecution intentionally did not examine the person from whose phone PCR was called as he did not disclose anything about the car or recovery of arms.
Khan had also contended the photographs of the site were submitted in the court after a huge delay and there is no explanation as to where the Investigating Officer got the pictures from. (PTI)
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