Court takes up NIA's charge sheet against top IM men

A court here Thursday took cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the NIA against top suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives, including Tehsin Akhtar and Waqas alias Zia-ur-Rahman, for carrying out terror attacks in India.

District Judge I.S. Mehta, during an in-camera proceeding, took cognisance of the charge sheet and posted the matter for Nov 3 for further hearing, court sources said.

The charge sheet was filed Monday by National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Tehsin Akhtar, Waqas, Haidar Ali alias Abdullah and 17 other absconding men including IM founder Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Mirza Shahid Beg.

It was the third charge sheet filed in the case, registered on Sep 10, 2012 against members of IM for carrying out terrorist activities and conspiracy for waging war against the country.

In the charge sheet, the NIA has cited prosecutable evidence indicating the involvement of the accused including recovered e-mails and chat logs, extracts of DNA recovered from hide outs, and record of financial transactions across international boundaries.

A total of 29 operatives of the Indian Mujahideen have been charge sheeted so far by the NIA during the investigation of the aforesaid case. The investigation is being further continued in respect of some more IM cadres.

In February, the NIA charge sheeted IM co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, Asadullah Akhtar, Manzar Imam and U. Ahmed for their alleged role in conspiring and participating major terrorist attacks at different parts in the country.

In July 2013, the NIA had charge sheeted five IM cadres -- Mohammad Danish Ansari, Mohammad Aftab Alam, Imran Khan, Syed Maqbool and Obaid-ur-Rehman -- under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy to commit offences against the state.

Tehsin was arrested March 25 near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal while Waqas was arrested outside the Ajmer railway station March 22. Haidar was arrested July 2.