The criminal appeal petition was filed in 2016. The petitioners wanted the high court to set aside the judgement of the NIA court delivered on 13 December 2016.
Published Apr 08, 2025 | 12:43 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 08, 2025 | 12:43 PM
File photo of the Telangana High Court. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: The Telangana High Court has upheld the death sentences of five people convicted in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar blasts. The five convicts were alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives. The Dilsukhnagar explosions had claimed 18 lives and left 131 people injured.
The Telangana High Court has upheld the death sentences of five people convicted in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar blasts, rejecting their appeals and confirming the verdict delivered by the NIA Special Court.
The five convicts were alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives. The Dilsukhnagar explosions had claimed 18 lives and left 131 people injured.
A special NIA court in Hyderabad held Asadullah Akthar alias Haddi, Zia Ur Rahman alias Waqas, Mohammed Tahseen Akthar alias Hassan, Ahmed Siddibappa Zarrar alias Yasin Bhatkal and Ajaz Shaikh guilty for the 21 February 2013 blasts in Hyderabad and sentenced them to death.
The first accused in the case, Mohammed Riyaz alias Riyaz Bhaktal is still absconding.
The criminal appeal petition was filed in 2016. The petitioners wanted the high court to set aside the judgement of the NIA court delivered on 13 December 2016.
The IM members detonated two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) almost simultaneously near the Dilsukhnagar bus stop.
The first bomb exploded outside a roadside eatery named A1 Mirchi at Dilsukhnagar opposite the Konark movie hall. It was followed by the second bomb — nearly 100 metres apart and two minutes later — near the Route 107 bus stand close to the Venkatadri Theatre.
The first blast was under the Malakpet police station area of Hyderabad Commissionerate and the second under the Saroornagar police station of Cyberabad (now Rachakonda) Commissionerate. Two separate cases were registered.
The cases were transferred to the NIA. The first important lead came in the form of video footage recorded by a traffic surveillance camera and a private camera in a shop, according to a report by The Hindu.
One member of the group was seen coming to the bus stop on a bicycle with a tiffin box on the carrier, and investigators continued to identify operatives who similarly planted bombs in public places.
Intelligence agencies caught Ahmed Siddibappa Zarrar and Asadullah Akthar at the India-Nepal border in August 2013. The duo reportedly admitted to interrogators that they were responsible for the blasts, and were complicit in other terror cases.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Sumit Jha.)
