“Bomb Ka Jawab Bomb Se Dena Hai” this is what was widely quoted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in all the chargesheets filed against the accused in Mecca Masjid bomb blast case, but after their acquittal by the court, the question now remains ‘Who bombed Mecca Masjid?’
The shoddy investigation, initially by Hussaini Alam Police of Hyderabad in first two months, followed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and later failure of the NIA to produce evidence, has resulted in the acquittal of the accused in a case that had already been messed up.
Initially, Bangladesh-based Harkat Ul Jihad Al Islami (HUJI) was suspected for the blasts and local youth were picked up and later after the CBI took over, it arrested the accused belonging to RSS and Hindu Vichar Manch. NIA had taken the names of RSS and Hindu Vichar Manch in the chargesheets.
Despite 226 witnesses cited, except official witnesses, none of the witnesses supported the prosecution.
NIA alleged that Swamy Assemananda in the confession said ‘Bomb Ka Jawab Bomb Se Dena Hai’ during his meeting with other accused, but the court didn’t find merit in this. The prosecution relied on bomb comparison of both Ajmer and Mecca Masjid blasts. However, in 2017 April, Jaipur court acquitted Swamy Aseemananda and six others in a case connected to Ajmer Dargah blast case. Investigation in both cases failed to establish conspiracy link between the accused.
Shafeeq Rehman Mahajir, a senior advocate who argued before Bhaskar Rao Commission in the case and who is defending those who were tortured by police initially, told KhabarLive, “Swamy Aseemananda gave confessional statement voluntarily under 164 CrPC before the magistrate initially and retracted.
NIA and CBI are expected to be the premier agencies, but both of them pointed fingers at each other in the probe which is a sad state of affairs. The agencies produced shoddy evidences. The cases were badly handled by the investigation agencies in such a manner that they ended up in acquittal. Justice is defeated and the rule of law is mocked at. The court may have relied on lack of evidence and acquitted the accused.” He added the police tried to implicate innocent Muslim youth initially in the case.
Senior advocate and BJP Member of Legislative Council N Ramchander Rao, who initially represented the accused in the court, told TOI, “Now it is proved that UPA government tried to defame Sangh parivar by misusing the CBI for political gains.
Local police who initially investigated the case did narco-analysis in which the suspect admitted the crime. CBI failed to investigate that angle. He added, ”During cross-examination, CBI SP Rajbalaji admitted that he did not examine or investigate the confession made before regarding narco-analysis test. No conspiracy links established. No witness supported the case of production except the official.” #KhabarLive
