Terror taint off two suspected Hizbul Mujahideen men

NEW DELHI: A trial court on Thursday acquitted two suspected Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorists who were arrested for allegedly plotting terror strikes ahead of Independence Day in 2009 at the instance of Pakistan-based HM chief Syed Salahuddin.
In a big jolt to the special cell of Delhi police, additional sessions judge Atul Kumar Garg acquitted Javed Ahmed Tantray and Ashiq Ali Bhatt--both alleged to be HM operatives--saying the whole case was planted.They have been acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Explosive Substances Act and Arms Act.
Tantray (35) and Bhatt (30) were arrested on August 6, 2009 by Delhi Police from Daryaganj, central Delhi with a huge cache of arms and ammunition. The duo was allegedly arrested on a tip-off, the prosecution said. The police had alleged that they had entered India from Pakistan via Nepal on the instructions of Salahuddin to carry out the strikes and had come to Delhi from Jammu in a stolen car. The probe agency had claimed to have found parcels containing two AK-47 rifles, magazines and hand grenades in the car.
Appearing for both the accused, counsel M S Khan, had argued during the trial that the two had been implicated by the police only to gain publicity and there is no evidence to show their connection with any terror outfit. He also said that the car was falsely shown to be in their possession.
Khan also submitted that the prosecution intentionally did not examine the person from whose phone the PCR was called as he did not disclose anything about the car or recovery of arms. He had also contended that the photographs of the site were submitted in the court after a delay.