Aseemanand’s confession may prove crucial

HYDERABAD: Mecca Masjid blast prime accused Aseemanand’s confession before a judge in 2010 may play a key role in the blast case verdict, expected to be pronounced on Monday.

CBI, which had conducted probes into blasts across India in which Hindu right-wing groups were suspect, had facilitated Aseemanand to give a statement under Section 164 of the CrPC before a judge in Delhi in 2010. As per National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the

Mecca Masjid investigation

from CBI after it was formed, chargesheet,

Aseemanand disclosed

about the conspiracy hatched by him along with other accused to execute blasts, including one at Mecca Masjid.

This statement was discussed at length along with the 164 CrPC statement of another accused, Bharath Bhai, during the trial at the Nampally Criminal Court. The Delhi judge, before whom Aseemanand recorded his statement, also appeared before the Nampally court as a witness in the Mecca Masjid case.

Aseemanand’s statement was used by investigators during the trial to prove the conspiracy. However, how much credence the judge would give to the statement might seal the fate of the accused.

During the trial, the NIA sleuths had produced scientific evidence in connection with the blast like

seized explosive materials

, bags used to carry them, SIM cards, mobile phones, eyewitnesses and results of test identification parade (TIP). The scientific evidence might also play a crucial role in the verdict.

During the trial, 226 prosecution witnesses were examined. Of them, 64 witnesses, including a Jharkhand minister, turned hostile.

Interestingly, NIA officials till date have not filed a charge sheet against Tejaram, who has been accused of being one of the two bomb planters at Mecca Masjid. Incidentally, the bomb planted by Tejaram did not explode and it was this bomb which gave the investigators the breakthrough in the case.

Aseemanand and

Bharat Bhai

have been granted bail in the Mecca Masjid blast case. In the

Ajmer blast case

, two persons, including Devendra Gupta, were convicted last year. Devender Gupta is accused number one in the blast case.

Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.