By Abdul Hameed, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Will the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) be dropped from 13 Muslim youths arrested in connection with the 7/11 Mumbai local train serial bomb blasts? The accused have challenged in the Supreme Court the Bombay High Court order upholding MCOCA on them, and expect SC verdict next month will decide their fate.
The ATS arrested Kamal Ahmad Ansari, Dr Tanweer Ahmad Md Ibrahim Ansari, Md Faisal Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Ehtesham Qutbuddin Siddiqee, Md Majid Md Shafee, Md Ali Alam Shaikh, Md Sajid Marghoob Ansari, Abdul Wahid Deen Md Shaikh, Muzammil Ataur Rahman Shaikh, Suhail Mahmood Shaikh, Zameer Ahmad Latifur Rahman Shaikh, Naved Husain Khan and Asif Khan Basheer Khan in connection with the 7/11 blasts in which 183 persons were killed while nearly 829 others were injured. They were charged with bomb planting, bomb making and giving shelter to Pakistanis etc. under MCOCA.
Later with the help of Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind the accused challenged MCOCA in the Bombay High Court which said that imposition of MCOCA in this case was right. Then they approached the Supreme Court and challenged HC verdict following which the apex court stayed trial of the case in March 2008 and presently the case is not being heard.
The general secretary of the Maharashtra unit of Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind Gulzar Ahmad Azmi while talking to TCN has expressed hope that the SC will be issuing its verdict in the coming month as all the procedures to it are complete.