Tunda moves bail application in 1997 blasts case

Lashkar-e-Taiba bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda, accused in the 1997 Delhi Sadar Bazar blasts case, Tuesday filed his bail application in a Delhi court.

Tunda's counsel M.S. Khan said in the bail application that the other two co-accused in the case have been discharged or acquitted.

The application will be heard Dec 20 by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Amit Bansal.

Police have charge sheeted Tunda under Sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said Tunda was part of the conspiracy which led to two bomb blasts at Sadar Bazar and Qutab Road Oct 1, 1997, in which many people were injured.

Police said the two other accused in the case earlier disclosed that the blasts were carried out at the behest of Tunda.

One of the co-accused Mohd Shakeel alias Hamza was acquitted in April 1999 while the second, Mohd Amir, was discharged in the case in April 2001.

Tunda said he was dragged into the case in a conspiracy.

"As per prosecution, the applicant (Tunda) is being prosecuted for the offence dealing with attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy for the only reason that the disclosure statement made earlier by the above two people and one made by the applicant accused are corroborating each other and same establish a link of conspiracy between them," Tunda said in his application.

He said the other two accused were already released by court and the question of conspiracy with them does not arise, and their disclosure statements not admissible as evidence.

Tunda requested the court to grant him bail, saying there was no evidence of any nature against him.