New Delhi: A court here today clubbed three Diwali-eve blast cases and ordered framing of charges against Tariq Ahmed Dar and four of his associates for the explosions which left 63 people dead and 227 injured in 2005.

The blasts, executed allegedly at the instance of Lashker-e-Taiba, took place in Sarojini Nagar Market, Paharganj and Kalkaji here on October 29.

The court said the trial of all the three blasts would be tried together, as the offences committed by the accused were connected. "Even though people killed or injured in different blasts are different, evidence regarding the monetary transactions are same. So I am of the opinion that prima facie, it seems that an offence is made-out and accordingly I order framing of charges against all the accused," Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Babu Lal said.
He charged him and his four associates, Mohammed Rafiq Shah, Mohammed Hussain Fazli, Ghulam Ahmed Khan and Farooq Ahmed Batloo, under various provisions of the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive substances Act pertaining to sedition and waging war against the country.

The court ordered framing of charges against Dar, Shah and Fazli under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the country), 121-A (conspiracy to commit offence against state), 122 (collecting arms for waging war against state), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC.

It also ordered framing of charges against the accused under various provisions of the Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Source : PTI