Paving the way for the trial of suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Shahzad Ahmed, allegedly involved in a gunbattle with a Delhi police team at Batla House in 2008, a Delhi court has framed charges against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including murder and attempt to murder.
Finding enough prima facie evidence to start trial, additional sessions judge (ASJ) Ajay Kumar Kuhar also charged Ahmed under Sections 333 (causing hurt to public servant), 353 (assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the IPC besides Section 27 of the Arms Act.
The encounter had taken place on September 19, 2008, six days after the serial blasts in Delhi left 26 dead and 135 injured. The prosecution claimed that out of the five accused in the case, Atif Ameen and Mohd Sajid were killed in the encounter at L-18, Batla House in Jamia Nagar.
Besides these two, one Ariz Khan, had been declared as a proclaimed offender by the court, while Mohd Saif had surrendered and did not play any part in the entire incident.