HC to confirm death penalties to 1996 blast convicts

The Delhi Police has sought confirmation from the Delhi High Court in relation to the death sentence awarded to three militants for their involvement in the 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast in which 13 people were killed and 38 injured.

The Delhi Police has sought confirmation from the Delhi High Court in relation to the death sentence awarded to three militants for their involvement in the 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast in which 13 people were killed and 38 injured.

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Delhi Police Standing Counsel Pawan Sharma sought confirmation of death sentence for the three Jammu Kashmir Islamic Front (JKIF) militants, arguing before the bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and ML Mehta that the trial court had rightly convicted them and awarded capital punishment as there was ample evidence to prove their involvement in the terror act.

A city court in April 2010 had convicted six JKIF militants, awarding death sentence to Mohd Naushad, Mohd Ali Bhatt and Mirza Nissar Hussain and sentenced their fourth accomplice Javed Ahmed Khan to life term. The remaining two convicts, Farooq Ahmed Khan and his woman accomplice Farida Dar, who had been found guilty for minor offences under the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act, were sentenced to seven and four years of imprisonment respectively.

"The judicial confession of Javed established the involvement of all the accused in the Lajpat Nagar Central Market blast case and the trial court had passed its verdict after considering the statement," said Sharma.