NIA files supplementary charge sheet in Samjhauta blasts case

The charge sheet was filed against Chauhan alias Bhai Saab alias Badrinarayan alias Lucky alias Vijay and Amit alias Ashwani Chauhan alias Prince alias Hakla alias Ashok alias Tutalla in a special court at Panchkula charging them with murder, conspiracy and other offences.

"We have filed the supplementary charge sheet in the case. Kamal Chauhan and Amit, who is absconding, along with Rajendra Pehalwan (Choudhary) and Lokesh Sharma not only conspired in carrying out the crime, but also planted the bombs," R K Handa, NIA's Special Public Prosecutor in the Samjhauta case, said.

He said that while Lokesh and Kamal are lodged in judicial custody, Amit and Rajendra are absconding.

The charge sheet was filed before Additional Sessions Judge Kanchan Mahi. Charges have been slapped against the accused under various provisions of the law including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120-B of the IPC (relating to conspiracy), Section 345 of the Explosives Substances Act, Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act and Protection of Railway Properties Act, Handa informed.

The bomb blasts in the Attari Express (Samjhauta) train near Panipat, Haryana on February 18, 2007 and the consequent fire in the train coaches had resulted in the loss of 68 lives and injuries to 12 train passengers including women and children.

NIA had on June 20, 2011 filed a charge-sheet before the special court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against five accused -- Naba Kumar Sarkar alias Swami Asimanand, Sunil Joshi (now dead), Lokesh Sharma, Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalasangra alias Ramji.

The initial investigation into the bomb blast was conducted by the Government Railway Police and Special Investigation Team of Haryana Police and subsequently. NIA took over the case on July 29, 2010 following a directive by the Ministry of Home Affairs. (MORE)