Startling disclosure in court by 7/11 blasts accused

Mumbai, Nov 9: In a startling disclosure, one of the accused in the 7/11 serial blasts in Mumbai's suburban trains today complained to the court that one of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officers had threatened him that if he did not confess his involvement, he would rape his wife and mother.

Accused Asif Khan Bashir Khan alleged before the Mcoca judge Mrudulla Bhatkar that Senior Police Inspector Deshmukh had threatened him to confess to the crime or else the officer would rape his wife and mother and falsely implicate his brother and father in the case and his children would be sent to a remand home.

All the accused, booked under MCOCA in the blast case, had said they wanted to retract their confessional statements given to ATS.

They also complained to the Judge that the confessional statements were recorded by the police under duress and some others had complained that police obtained their signatures on blank papers.

The accused told the court that they had to face mental and physical torture at the hands of ATS officials in the custody. They were also threatened that in case they disclosed before the court the alleged threats they would be implicated in the Malegaon blast case also.

Accused Kamal Ahamed Ansari, Dr Tanvir Ahmed Ansari, Mohammad Majid Shafi and Shaikh Mohammad Ali Alam requested that they wanted their fresh medical tests to be conducted for which the court granted the permission.

Some others said they had been offered cash and other inducements for giving confessional statements.

After hearing the alleged complaints, MCOCA Judge Bhatkar asked them to give a written submission before the court by 1700 hrs and subsequently they filed their written complaints in this regard. After receiving the submission from the accused, the court asked Special Public Prosecutor Raja Thakre to file a reply by November 16. It also extended their judicial custody till November 23.

As per the earlier assurance given to the court, ATS which is investigating the blasts case, would file the chargesheet on December 1.

Thirteen people have been booked under MCOCA so far in the 7/11 serial blasts case.

On July 11 this year, blasts on seven Western Railway suburban trains in the peak evening hours left 187 people dead and over 800 injured.

UNI

Related Stories

In Focus: 7/11 Mumbai bomb blast