New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday, March 8, convicted Indian Mujahideen terrorist Ariz Khan for the murder of Delhi police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma in the 2008 Batla House encounter.
The court will hear arguments on the quantum of the sentence on March 15.
On September 19, 2008, a firing took place between Delhi Police and terrorists hiding in the Okhla area of Delhi, resulting in the death of a police officer and injuries to two others. Khan is also alleged to have masterminded serial bomb blasts that rocked Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh in 2008.
Convicting Khan, additional sessions judge Sandeep Yadav said the evidence produced by the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge added that it was proved that Khan and his associates murdered the police officer, inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, by opening fire.
He has been convicted under Sections 302, 307, 333 and 353 (which deal with assault or grievous hurt to a public servant in the discharge of his duty), 186 (which has provisions of punishment for people who prevent a public servants from discharging their duties), 34 and 174A of the Indian penal Code (IPC) as well as Section 27 of the Arms Act (which provides for jail sentence to those who are found in possession of arms illegally), according to Hindustan Times.
In 2013, Khan’s accomplice, one Shahzad Ahmed, who had also escaped the 2008 shootout, was convicted and sentenced. Two others, Atif Amin and Mohammed Sajid, were killed in the firing and one Mohammed Saif was arrested from the location.
Ariz Khan’s antecedents
A native of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, Khan was arrested by the Delhi Police’s special cell in February 2018. According to estimates, the bomb blasts he masterminded in 2008 left 165 killed and over 500 injured. A reward of Rs 15 lakh had been declared on him, besides an Interpol Red Corner Notice.
Khan is an engineering graduate from Muzaffaranagar’s SD College and is an explosives expert. He was brought in contact with terror networks by Atif Amin, who was killed in the encounter. After the 2008 encounter, he moved to Nepal, obtained a Nepali passport, changed his name and began identifying himself as Salim. There, he also opened a restaurant and taught students, according to NDTV.
In Nepal, he came in contact with Riyaz Bhatkal who then reportedly inspired him to relaunch the Indian Mujahideen. In 2014, he visited Saudi Arabia looking to strengthen the terror organisation.
In 2017, Khan returned from Saudi Arabia to prepare the ground for the Indian Mujahideen’s revival. On February 13, 2018, he was arrested at the Banbasa border point between India and Nepal. The police got a whiff of his plans through SIMI activist Abdul Suhan who had been arrested a month earlier.
On April 28, 2010, the police filed a chargesheet against Khan (then on the run), Shahzad Ahmad, Atif Ameen and Mohammad Sajid, accusing them of killing inspector Sharma on September 19, 2008, six days after serial blasts in Delhi, the Hindustan Times reports.
A trial court in July 2013 had sentenced Ahmed to life imprisonment in connection with the case. His appeal against the trial court’s verdict has been pending in the high court.
(With PTI inputs)