10-yr RI for 4 in 2011 Akbaruddin Owaisi attack case

Hyderabad, Jun 29 (PTI) A city court today sentenced four persons to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) in connection with a murderous attack on Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi in 2011. Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge T Srinivas Rao convicted Hasan Bin Omer Yafai, Abdullah Bin Yonus Yafai, Awad Bin Yonus Yafai and Mohammed Bin Saleh Wahlan under relevant sections of the IPC and the Arms Act.

The court found them guilty on charges of attempt to murder and other offences under IPC sections and Arms Act and also sentenced them to varied terms of imprisonment besides imposing a total fine of Rs 9,000 under different sections on each of them. The sentences will run concurrently, defence counsel G Gurumuthy said, adding they will move a higher court against today’s verdict.

However, prime accused Mohd Bin Omer Yafai alias Mohammed Pahalwan, who allegedly masterminded the attack on Akbaruddin, the younger brother of AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and nine others were acquitted of all the charges against them in the case. The court had examined 83 witnesses in the case. On April 30, 2011, a group of assailants attacked the MLA, who represents Chandrayangutta constituency in Old City, with sharp weapons and firearms near the AIMIM office at Barkas.

One of the assailants, Ibrahim Bin Younus Yafai had died after he was hit by a bullet when the gunman of another AIMIM MLA Ahmed Balala accompanying Akbaruddin had opened fire in retaliation. Akbaruddin, who survived the attack, had suffered stab and bullet injuries and underwent around 20 days of treatment at a hospital here following which he was discharged. A total of 14 accused faced trial in the attack case and police had booked them on charges of criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and several other IPC sections.

The court after arguments and counter arguments had fixed today’s date for judgement in the case. All the accused were present in the court today. Some of the accused are still in jail while some are out on bail. Elaborate security arrangements were made near the Nampally court complex with deployment of armed police personnel. Media was not allowed in the court.

The Hyderabad Police had then said that the attack may be a fallout of a land dispute as Akbaruddin had opposed encroachments of government lands (allegedly occupied by some among the assailants) in Chandrayangutta and Bandlaguda areas. Apart from this reason there might be some earlier differences that led to the attack, they had said.