All accused in Makkah Masjid blast case acquitted
Hyderabad, April 16: A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Monday acquitted all five accused in the 2007 Makkah Masjid blast case.
Aseemanand ,one of the key accused's lawyer Rajwardan said as the prosecution failed to prove the case, that's, why all the key accused, have been acquitted by the Namapally Court in the Hyderabad Mecca Masjid Blasts Case.
Eleven years after the powerful explosion killed nine people and injured more than 50 during the Friday prayers near the iconic Charminar here, the court held that none of the charges framed against the accused were proved.
Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharatbhai and Rajender Chowdhary, who were charged by the NIA, were all acquitted.
The explosion ripped through the mosque on May 18, 2007. Two live IEDs were also recovered by police and defused. Later, five more people were killed in subsequent police firing on the crowd outside the mosque.
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‘Test cricket needs Virat’: Lara says Kohli will be persuaded to not retire before England tour
New Delhi: West Indies batting great Brian Lara has voiced strong support for Virat Kohli to continue his Test career, amid reports that the Indian superstar recently expressed a desire to retire from the longest format of the game.
According to reports, the 36-year-old informed selectors of his intention to step away from Test cricket ahead of India’s five-match tour of England, scheduled to begin on June 20. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly urged the former captain to reconsider his decision.
Amid growing speculation, Lara urged that Kohli needed to be persuaded to stay on in the red-ball format. Posting a photo of himself with Kohli on Instagram, Lara wrote: "Test cricket needs Virat!! He is going to be persuaded. He is NOT going to retire from Test cricket." He further added that Kohli is going to average above 60 for the remainder of his Test career, underlining his confidence in Kohli's ability to remain a force in Test cricket.
Meanwhile, BCCI sources have reportedly stated that a “highly influential cricketing figure” is expected to reach out to Kohli in the coming days to convince him to stay on, especially with a high-profile England series on the horizon. Squad selection for the tour is expected around May 16.
Kohli, widely regarded as one of the modern greats, has played 210 Test innings, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of over 45, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, which stands as an extraordinary record that has defined India’s dominance in red-ball cricket.
