HC notice to Delhi Police in Batla shootout case

The Delhi High Court Friday issued notice to the police on an appeal filed by Shahzad Ahmad, a suspected Indian Mujahideen operative, against his conviction in the 2008 Batla House shootout in which a police officer was killed.

A bench of Justice Kailash Gambhir and Justice Indermeet Kaur sought a response by Nov 11 on Shahzad's appeal against his conviction and also on his plea for bail.

The court also summoned the trial court's records related to the case.

On July 25, a sessions court convicted the 24-year-old Shahzad from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh for killing Delhi Police Special Cell Inspector M.C. Sharma in the Sep 19, 2008 shootout and injuring two other officers. He was awarded life imprisonment on July 30.

The trial court said the incident had "shocked the collective conscience of the entire nation".

The shootout occurred six days after serial blasts rocked Karol Bagh, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and the vicinity of India Gate in the capital, leaving over 26 people dead and over 130 injured.

The raiding police team had received specific information that a suspect in connection with the five serial bomb blasts was hiding at L-18 flat in the four-storeyed Batla House in Jamia Nagar.

The police team's attempts to storm the flat resulted in exchange of fire. The holed-up terrorists' bullets hit Sharma, who subsequently died.

Shahzah was convicted of offences that included murder and attempt to murder.