Aurangabad arms case accused hearing deferred till Jan 18

Mumbai, Dec 15 (UNI) The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court today deferred till January 18 the hearing of the discharge application filed by Mohammad Amir Shakeel Ahmed, prime accused in the Aurangabad arms seizure case. of May this year.

MCOCA Judge M R Bhatkar adjourned the hearing as sought by the counsel of the accused.

Shakeel Ahmed had filed a discharge application before MCOCA court last month praying that MCOCA was not applicable to him as the procedure adopted to book him under this stringent act, was wrong.

The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), in a joint operation with the Aurangabad police on May nine, had arrested three terrorists, including an activist of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) near the Ghrushneshwar temple at Verul village and seized arms and ammunition from them.

Interrogation of the arrested persons led the arrest of 13 others, but later the ATS dropped three of them from the charges.

During September this year, ATS had filed a chargesheet against them including Shakeel.

ATS had seized 16 AK47, 4000 live cartridges, 62 Magazine, 43 kg RDX and 50 hand granades during the search.

UNI PVN KU SHB HT1832