Pune serial blasts: ATS files charge sheet against 8 accused

Mumbai: Nearly a year after four low intensity blasts ripped the Junglee Maharaj (JM) Road in Pune, the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has filed its charge sheet before a special MCOCA court here.The 3,857-page charge sheet was filed yesterday before special MCOCA Judge Y D Shinde against eight arrested accused and five absconding accused.According to the charge sheet, the blasts were allegedly hatched by members of terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM) with the help of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).[caption id="attachment_744039" align="alignleft" width="380"] There were no deaths due to the low intensity blasts. AFP[/caption]On August 1 last year, four blasts occurred at different spots on the JM road injuring one person. The blasts took place outside the Balgandharva auditorium, opposite KFC restaurant near Garware bridge, outside Dena bank branch and outside McDonalds restaurant. A fifth bomb was found later and defused.The arrested accused are - Asad Khan Jamshed Ali Khan, Imran Khan Wajid Khan Pathan, Firoz alias Hamza Sayeed, Irfan Mustafa Langade, Muneeb Iqbal Memon, Farukh Shaukhat Bhagwan, Sayeed Asif and Bunth Jahagirdar.The absconding accused are - IM co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal, his brother Iqbal, LeT operatives Faiyaz Kagzi, Wakas Ibrahim and Danish Tabrez.A look out notice was issued earlier against the absconding accused.The accused have been charged under the stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Explosives Act.The charge sheet includes the statements of over 300 witnesses.PTI