HYDERABAD: Six years after the murderous attack on
MIM legislator,
Akbaruddin Owaisi, a local court in Hyderabad convicted four men and sentenced them to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Prime accused Mohammed bin Omer Yafai alias
Mohammed Pahelwan
and nine others were acquitted on Thursday after charges against them could not be proved.
While Owaisi refused to comment after the verdict, family members of prime accused Pahelwan said they were vindicated. Police said they would appeal against the verdict of the seventh additional metropolitan sessions court.
Since morning, Old City turned into a fortress with barricades and heavy police deployment on streets. Arterial roads remained chock-a-block till late night after the verdict. In a flashback to April 30, 2011, the area had turned into a garrison after the epicentre of violence, Barkas, spun into a warzone.
Owaisi was attacked with knives and cricket bats when he was returning after taking stock of developmental work in Chandrayangutta. Owaisi had accused Pahelwan and his family of indulging in grabbing government land, which triggered the attack.
Delivering the 98-page judgment in a packed courtroom, Judge T Srinivas Rao found four accused, including Hasan bin Omer Yafai guilty. Hasan is Pahelwan's brother.
The court also found three others, Abdullah bin Younus Yafai, Awad bin Younus Yafai and Mohammed bin Saleh Wahlan guilty under various sections of IPC and Arms Act. Pahelwan was released from Cheralapally jail later in the evening.