Confession in 2010 haunts in Hyderabad court

HYDERABAD: On a day Aseemanand was acquitted from the Ajmer blast case, a magistrate from Delhi's Tis Hazari court on Wednesday told a NIA court in Hyderabad that the former RSS activist had confessed to his involvement in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case.
Aseemanand is key accused in the Oct18, 2007, Mecca Masjid blast that killed nine people. Deposing before the NIA court at Nampally , Deepak Dabas, then metropolitan magistrate of Delhi was examined by the fourth additional metropolitan sessions judge.During examination, the magistrate told the court that Naba Kumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand was brought to court in 2010 by CBI personnel, investigating the Hyderabad serial blast cases and he expressed willingness to make a voluntary confession under Section 164 CrPC and stated he was confessing without fear, coercion or inducement. A statement made under this Section is admissible evidence.
The magistrate, who is currently additional chief metropolitan magistrate, told the NIA court that he in accordance with law asked Aseemanand to reflect over his decision and sent him to judicial custody for two days, away from police influence.
On December 16 and 18, 2010, Aseemanand returned to court and made a 42-page confession under Section 164 of CrPC. While making the confession, the accused said, “I know I can be sentenced to death, but I still want to make this confession.“
The magistrate recorded his statement for more than two hours and later the defence counsel for the accused advocate B Rajvardhan Reddy cross-examined him. Till now, NIA court has examined165 witnesses in the case.
In 2010, Aseemanand created ripples for his sensational confession. He told court that Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad was chosen because the Nizam of Hyderabad opted for Pakistan during Partition. And Samjhauta Express was chosen because it was mostly used by Pakistanis.
Aseemanand had in his previous confessional statement to CBI, accepted his role and exposed the intricate network of groups responsible for serial blasts at Malegaon, Ajmer, the Samjhauta Express and Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad.
Later, he retracted his statement.