13/7 blast: 10 months on, ATS files 4,000-page chargesheet

Almost a year after three synchronised bomb blasts ripped through the city, killing 27 people and injuring 130 others, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) yesterday filed a 4,000-page chargesheet in a special MCOCA court against four accused in the case. The accused, Naque Ahmed, Nadeem Shaikh, Kanwar Pathrija and Haroon Naik, face trial under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), sections of the Indian Penal Code and other laws.

A copy of main accused Nadeem's confession before a magistrate has also been filed in the court. Five other accused including the trio Waqas, Tabrez and Yasin Bhatkal, alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives who played a key role in engineering the blasts, are absconding. According to the ATS, the trio had rented a third-floor flat in Habib building, Byculla where they allegedly assembled the explosives before executing the coordinated blasts in the evening peak hours of July 13, 2011 at the crowded locales of Dadar (W), Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House. Forensic experts who had collected samples from the terror sites had initially opined that ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil was used for explosives while digital timers were used to trigger the blasts.

Deadly assault: Naque Ahmed, Nadeem Shaikh, Kanwar Pathrija and Haroon Naik had rented a flat in Byculla where they allegedly assembled the explosives before executing the coordinated blasts in the evening peak hours of July 13, 2011 at Dadar (W), Zaveri Bazaar and Opera House

As the probe progressed, ATS officials had stumbled upon the Byculla flat where the suspects allegedly hid and assembled the explosives. Forensic experts subsequently recovered various articles including a computer and clothes of the occupants from the Byculla room for examination.

Bomber's love life
A background check on 13/7 blasts main accused Naque Ahmed (in pic) told Mumbai police that other than terror activities, he was actively engaged in a relationship with a girl. Cops came across tender online chats he exchanged with her (name withheld), and a love letter. Incidentally, he ends the letter - full of praise for the girl's photos - asking her forgiveness for unmentioned acts. ‘Ok my sweetheart, agar kuch galat ho gaya ho to use galati samajh ke maaf kar dena', the letter reads.

Report card
Naque's examination certificates from the Bihar School Examination board reveal that he was an average student. In the board exam he gave in June 2010, almost exactly a year before the blasts, he scored:
41/100 in Accountancy
50/100 in Business Studies
57/100 in Economics
30/50 in Urdu
Police learnt that Naque had taken up the study of English Grammar in January 2011, especially tenses. His motive eludes cops.

- Samarth Morayu00a0