Akshardham Temple attack: Yasin Bhat granted bail

Seeking relief on grounds of parity, Bhat’s lawyer I D Pathan submitted that co-accused Abdulrashid Sulemanbhai Ajmeri and Mohammad Farooq Mohammad Hanif Shaikh, both of who were belatedly arrested, were granted bail in December 2017 and in January this year by the special POTA court. Another ground cited was that following Bhat’s arrest, there has been no discovery or recovery of any incriminating material.

The public prosecutor conceded that the principal perpetrators of the offence were given a clean chit by the Supreme Court and did not oppose the submissions by Bhat’s counsel. Granting bail to Bhat, the court asked him not to leave Ahmedabad city without prior permission of the court.

Bhat was lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail on judicial custody since July 27. The 2002 FIR charged him under IPC sections related to conspiracy and murder, among others. He was also charged under the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 and the Bombay Police Act.

Two armed terrorists attacked Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar on September 24, 2002 and killed 33 people, including an NSG commando and two Gujarat police officers. The terrorists, identified as Ashraf Ali Mohammed Farooq and Murtaza Hafiz Yasin, were gunned down by NSG commandos.