An Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative was yesterday held guilty by a Delhi court in the 2008 Batla House shootout here, and the family of a slain police inspector as well as political leaders hailed the verdict while some groups and area residents expressed their dismay.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who earlier was the home minister, said he was glad the “police have been able to prove their case”. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stressed it was a boost to anti-terror forces.
Additional sessions judge Rajender Kumar Shastri convicted IM terror group’s operative Shahzad Ahmad of killing inspector M C Sharma and fixed July 29 for arguments on sentencing.
Ahmad, from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was said to be present in a flat in Batla House neighbourhood in Jamia Nagar area in south Delhi when the shootout took place.
The September 19, 2008, exchange of fire took place between a seven-member Delhi Police Special Cell team, led by Inspector Sharma, and suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists who were allegedly involved in the September 13, 2008, serial blasts in Delhi that killed 26 people.
The court, during the arguments, questioned why Sharma was not wearing a bullet-proof jacket when he knew that he was leading the team to catch terror suspects and why were two police officers not carrying arms.
Police filed the charge sheet against Ahmad on April 28, 2010, and the prosecution examined around 70 witnesses, including six eye-witnesses who were part of the police raid team.
Sharma’s family expressed satisfaction over the verdict. His octogenarian father, Naurottam Sharma, said: “I am satisfied with the court’s decision, but await the final judgment. I am worried that the accused can move the higher court.”
Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA) expressed their disappointment at the verdict, and said they would approach the higher court to seek justice for Ahmad.
“It was a huge disappointment for us. We will definitely approach the higher court for justice,” said Manisha Sethi, JTSA president.
A section of people in the Batla House neighbourhood aired dissatisfaction over the conviction, saying they knew the eventual outcome since their demand for a magisterial probe had been rejected. Chidambaram told a TV channel: “I am glad that the police have been able to prove their case.” Asked about comments made by his Congress party colleagues like Digvijaya Singh, who had feared the shootout was fake, he said: “They (leaders) meant well. They were reflecting the views of the affected families or the people who lived in the area.”