IM terrorist convicted in Delhi's Batla House shootout

A Delhi court Thursday convicted the lone accused and Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Shahzad Ahmad in the 2008 Batla House shootout here.

Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri convicted Ahmad for killing Delhi Police Special Cell Inspector M.C. Sharma.

Ahmad, from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, was said to be present in a flat in Jamia Nagar when the shootout took place.

The Sep 19, 2008, exchange of fire took place between a seven-member Delhi Police Special Cell team, led by Sharma, and suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists, allegedly involved in the Sep 13, 2008, serial blasts in Delhi.

The bomb blasts took place in Karol Bagh, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and India Gate, leaving over 26 people killed and over 133 injured.

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

The police team's attempts to storm the flat on the second floor around 10.30 a.m. resulted in exchange of fire.

The holed-up terrorists' bullets hit Sharma, who subsequently died.

Finally, two suspected terrorists - Atif Amin and Mohd Sajid - were killed, two other suspects, Mohd Saif and Zeeshan, were arrested while one managed to escape.

The police filed the charge sheet against Ahmad April 28, 2010.

The prosecution examined around 70 witnesses, including six eye-witnesses who were part of the police raid team.