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Sabarmati Express blast: Court acquits ex-AMU scholar

Former Aligarh Muslim University scholar Gulzar Ahmed Wani will walk out of jail after 16 years with an Uttar Pradesh court on Saturday acquitting him of the charge of having orchestrated the Sabarmati Express blast in 2000 that claimed nine lives.

Additional Sessions Judge in Barabanki, M A Khan freed 43-year-old Wani, a suspected Hizbul Mujahideen operative, and co-accused Mobin in the case due to lack of evidence, defence counsel M S Khan, who represented Wani, said over phone.

Wani, who was arrested by Delhi Police in 2001 allegedly with explosives and incriminating materials, is a resident of Peeparkari area of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) and is lodged in a jail in Lucknow.

The blast was carried out on the eve of Independence Day near Kanpur when the train was on its way from Muzaffarpur to Ahmedabad, claiming nine lives and leaving several others injured.

"The court of Additional Sessions Judge M A Khan acquitted both the accused of all the charges as the prosecution could not establish any of the charges levelled against them," the lawyer said.

A case was registered by the Uttar Pradesh police at GRP police station, Barabanki for the alleged offences of murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, waging war, collecting arms and conspiring to commit offences against the country under the IPC.

Charges were also filed against them under the Indian Railways Act and Explosive Substances Act.

Ten other cases were also registered against Wani. Out of the 11 cases, he has been exonerated in 10 as he has either been acquitted or discharged, the lawyer said.
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