NIA frames charges against 11 in Modi's Patna rally blasts case

Patna, Jan 6: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court on Tuesday framed charges against 11 accused, all suspected to be members of banned IM and SIMI, for the serial blasts at Prime Minister (then Gujarat Chief Minister) Narendra Modi's 'Hunkar Rally' at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on October 27, 2013.

Six persons were killed and over 100 injured in the blasts. The framing of charges marks the beginning of prosecution of the accused in the case.

NIA Special Judge Anil Kumar Singh also directed the prosecution to produce witnesses from January 19 onwards. The 11 accused in the case are - Haider Ali, Numan Ansari, Taufiq Ansari, Mujibullah Ansari, Umar Siddiqui, Azharuddin Qureshi, Iftekar Alam, Firoz Alam, Ahmad Hussain, Fakhruddin and a juvenile.

Charges including for murder, criminal conspiracy have been framed against them under Sections 109, 120B, 121, 171A, 302, 324, 326, 360, 441 and 468 of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Explosives Substances Act, and various section of Criminal Law Act.

All of them are alleged to be members of Indian Mujahideen (IM) and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The NIA has already filed charge sheet in the case, alleging that Hyder Ali, who was suspected to be SIMI in-charge of Jharkhand, conspired with others to target Modi, BJP Prime ministerial candidate at that time. Ali is also an accused in Bodh Gaya serial blasts in July, 2013.

According to the charge sheet, the accused wanted to target Modi as they thought it would be inimical to their interests if he became the Prime Minister, and in pursuance of their motive conducted recce of various rallies to take stock of security arrangements.

PTI