As the 90-day statutory period to file charge sheet against Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his accomplice Asadullah Akhtar in the 2008 serial blasts expired on Monday, the Delhi Police was granted 15 more days by a court here to complete its investigation against the duo.
“My inference is that let the application (of the Delhi Police) be allowed. Investigation agency is granted further 15 days’ time to conclude its investigation from today,” Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash said.
Meanwhile, the court also denied statutory bail to Bhatkal and Akhtar saying the period of probe has been extended and even otherwise the time period of investigation has been extended from 90 to 180 days under the specific provision of law.
In an application, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police had said it is still investigating the role of Bhatkal and Akhtar in the blast that took place in an auto-rickshaw at Beadonpura, Karol Bagh here on September 13, 2008.
The court was informed by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police that Akhtar’s interrogation has revealed vital information about one more accused named Aziz Khan alias Junaid and the operation to trace/ apprehend him is underway.
The court granted 15 days time to the probe agency, which has sought 45 days to complete the probe.
Bhatkal and Akhtar were arrested in this case on December 10, 2013.
The duo is in judicial custody and named as accused in a series of terror cases, including the 2010 German Bakery strike, Chinnaswamy Stadium blast and the Jama Masjid shootout.
The Karol Bagh blasts are one of the five synchronised bomb blasts that were executed by suspected IM operatives on September 13, 2008.
The first blast took place at Karol Bagh, two followed at Connaught Place and two more at Greater Kailash in a span of five minutes.
The Karol Bagh blasts claimed 21 lives and left 64 people injured.
The driver of the auto-rickshaw in which the blast happened at Karol Bagh had failed to identify the alleged terrorist who had left a bag in his vehicle on the day of the incident.
