New Delhi : A court here on Saturday dropped charges against suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) bomb maker Abdul Karim Tunda in 1998 case under the Explosive Substance Act – the fourth case he was facing.
Tunda, one of the 20 terrorists whom India had asked Pakistan to hand over after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was chargesheeted by Delhi Police in four cases and with Saturday court’s order, he has been discharged in all.
On April 23 last year, another Delhi court dropped charges against Tunda in connection with two separate blast cases – the October 28, 1997 blast in Karol Bagh and October 1, 1997 explosion in Sadar Bazar.
Another court on March 10 last year also discharged the Tunda, accused under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act and for criminal conspiracy.
A sessions judge on Saturday discharged Tunda, accused of waging war against India under the Indian Penal Code and under the various provisions of Explosive Substance Act, observing that there lack of evidence to prove the allegations against him.
According to informed sources, two people were arrested by Delhi Police in connection with the case in 1998.
Police have also recovered explosive substances from the arrested accused.
Police has said that during investigation it was revealed that arrested accused were planning terror strikes in India to avenge the Babri Masjid demolition and Tunda was the mastermind of the plan.
Advocate M.S. Khan, defence counsel of Tunda told court that there is no evidence to bear out the allegations against his client and he was falsely implicated.
Though Tunda got relief in the fourth case, he has to remain in jail as he was named as an accused in 33 other bomb blast cases across India between 1994 and 1998, 22 of which occurred in Delhi.
However, Delhi Police has filed chargesheet against Tunda in only four cases and he gor relief in all four cases.
The detail order of the case will be released later.