Charges framed against Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal in German Bakery blast case
Pune: Charges were framed against Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal, alleged co-founder of the terror organisation Indian Mujahideen, in the 2010 German Bakery blast case at a trial court here Monday.
Ahmed Siddibappa was produced before the court amid tight security. Charges were framed against him under various sections of the IPC, Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, said special prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar.
Seventeen people were killed and 64 injured in the blast at German Bakery, an eatery in the Koregaon Park area in Pune, in February 2010.
Ahmed was earlier convicted in the 2013 Hyderabad twin blasts case and awarded death penalty by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in July 2018.
He was brought here from Delhi's Tihar jail Monday and produced before additional sessions judge K D Vadane. This was the first time since his arrest that he has been brought to the Pune court.
Prosecutor Pawar said the Delhi Police filed an application stating that due to security reasons, they would not be able to bring Ahmed to Pune for trial, and further hearing should be conducted via video-conference.
Zahir Khan Pathan, Ahmed's lawyer, opposed the Delhi Police's request, saying the accused must be present during the trial. "It is the duty of the state to provide security....He can be lodged here at Yerawada Central Jail till the trial ends," he said, adding that he would file his submission on the issue on May 15. The NIA arrested Ahmed, suspect in over 40 terror cases, from the Indo-Nepal border in 2013.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
