Accused in 2002 Ghatkopar blast case discharged

Three months after his arrest, a special court here today discharged Irfan Qureshi, an accused in the 2002 Ghatkopar blast case, for lack of evidence.

The prosecution filed a report yesterday under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, stating that the police did not find sufficient evidence against him.

A day before that, Qureshi's lawyer had filed a 'default bail' plea before special judge S M Bhosle of the Prevention of Terrorist Act (POTA) court on the ground that police failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 90 days of the arrest.

"As per the prosecution report and the investigating officer, no role of Irfan Qureshi was revealed in the probe...there is no sufficient evidence to prosecute him further. The accused is hereby discharged," the court's order said.

Qureshi was arrested in the case in May this year from the house of his relative in Aurangabad, around 325 km from here.

In 2004, nine accused were discharged from the case for lack of evidence, while eight others were acquitted.

Two persons were killed and 39 others injured when a bomb, placed under a seat of a civic-run Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) bus, exploded near the Ghatkopar bus station on December 2, 2002.