Delhi HC blast case: Accused willing to turn approver

A key accused in the terror attack at the Delhi high court reception is willing to turn approver and has sought the trial court's permission for it.

Amir Abbas Dev, chargesheeted by the NIA for his alleged role in the bomb explosion at the high court's reception on September 7 last year, has moved the court of District Judge H S Sharma saying that he should be made an approver in the case.

"The applicant Amir Abbas Dev may be considered for making him an approver in this case in the interest of justice," he said in his application to the court which is conducting an in-chamber proceedings in the terror bombing case.

According to the sources, National Investigation Agency is likely to file its reply to Dev's plea on May 1, the next date of hearing.

During the hearing, the judge extended the judicial custody of Dev and co-accused Wasim Akram Malik till May 1.

The NIA had filed its charge sheet against six persons including three arrested accused - Wasim Akram Malik, Amir Abbas Dev and a minor, besides three others - Amir Kamal, Junaid Akram Malik and Shakir Hussain Seikh alias Chota Hafiz, who have been alleged to be the members of banned terror outfit Hizb-ul Mujahideen and are evading arrest.

The agency had said the September 7, 2011 terror attack at the Delhi high court reception was plotted with an aim to get the death sentence of the December 2001 Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru commuted to life term.

The NIA, in its 1,062-page charge sheet, had said two Pakistani nationals Abu Bilal and Abu Saifullah had planted the bomb at the entrance of gate number five of the Delhi high court, killing 17 persons and injuring over 90 others.

According to NIA's charge sheet, the entire terror attack was plotted between June and September last year at Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir by Wasim Akram Malik and other co-accused to "threaten the judiciary" and to get Guru's death sentence repealed.

It said process of proclamation against three absconding accused has been initiated and a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for giving information about either of them.

The charge sheet against the accused was filed under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the the Explosive Substances Act, besides those of the Indian Penal Code, dealing with murder, criminal conspiracy, waging war against the nation, attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt etc.

Detailing Wasim Akram Malik's role, it had said he was a student of MBBS at Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College and Hospital in Bangladesh and his younger brother and co-accused Junaid Akram Malik was an active member of Hizb-ul Mujahideen.

The agency, in its charge sheet, said Wasim had conducted a recce of Delhi high court area and his target for the blast was gate number five.

Regarding other accused, the NIA said on September 3 last year, Wasim and other co-accused had met Amir Abbas Dev at Kishtwar and planned about the execution of the blast.

Dev and Wasim are behind bars since their arrest by NIA for their alleged roles in the case.