Former Anti-Terrorism Squad chief KP Raghuvanshi, who led the investigation of July 11, 2006 serial train blasts, on Wednesday said that all the controversies and allegations surrounding the case should be put to rest as the court’s judgment vindicated our investigation.
The biggest controversy linked to 7/11 train blasts was revelations in 2008 by Indian Mujahideen (IM) member Sadiq Israr Shaikh, that his outfit had executed the train blasts. Sadiq Sheikh had later retracted his statement. However, the defence lawyers and the convicts’ families have been claiming that Shaikh’s outfit carried out the blasts.
Reacting to this Raghvanshi said, “Like Sadiq, a Kashmiri terror suspect had too claimed of having involvement in the Mumbai serial blasts and like Sadiq, he was too examined and probed. After we didn’t find any material linking them to the blast, the court discharged them from the case relying on our findings,” he said.
He further said, “I would have been more happy had all the convicted been awarded death sentence. I am satisfied with the quantum announced by the court as court’s appreciation is different from police’s appreciation. We were expecting capital punishment for those whose homes were used in making the bombs.”