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Chargesheet in Coimbatore blasts case filed

The Special Investigation Team of the Tamil Nadu police, probing the serial blasts in Coimbatore on February 14 last year, today filed its final chargesheet in the case before a court in the city.

The chargesheet which listed 180 people, including Al-Umma chief S M Badsha, general secretary Mohammed Ansari and People's Democratic Party chief Abdul Nasser Mahdani, as accused in the case, was filed before the fifth district sessions court amidst tight security.

Some 60 people had been killed and more than 250 others injured in the serial blasts which rocked the textile city on February 14, hours before BJP leader L K Advani was scheduled to address an election meeting at the R S Puram locality.

Of the 180 accused, eight were killed during police operations immediately after the blasts. Nine others are still at large.

Talking to newspersons CB-CID inspector general of police Paramvir Singh said the police had evidence that the blasts were targeted at Advani. He revealed that the CB-CID had obtained evidence to this effect from Al-Umma workers arrested at Rajahmundry.

The CB-CID had taken 14 months to complete the probe and the first charge sheet was filed on September 28 last year, the IG pointed out. The state government had banned Al-umma and the Jehad Committee immediately after the blasts.

UNI

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