Batla House Encounter: Main Accused Shahzad Convicted

A Delhi court on Thursday convicted Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Shahzad Ahmed in the 2008 Batla House encounter case. He was found guilty of opening fire at a police team to kill Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.

The quantum punishment for the accused will be announced on Monday. Shahzad Ahmed was also held guilty of attempting to cause death of Head Constables Balwant Singh, Rajbir Singh and obstructing the police officers from doing their duty.

The court also found the accused guilty of criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence while ruling that the Batla House encounter was genuine. However, he was acquitted of the offence under section 174A IPC (failure to appear in specified time and place as required by a proclamation by court).

Additional sessions judge Rajender Kumar Shastri had on July 20 reserved the judgment after hearing the arguments of prosecution and defence. During the trial, the prosecution examined 70 witnesses, produced evidence and phone records that proved that Shahzad was present in the Jamia Nagar flat in Batla House and he was among those who fired at the police team that led to death of Delhi Police inspector M C Sharma.

The encounter had taken place at flat no L-18, Batla House in Jamia Nagar area in Delhi on September 19, 2008, six days after serial bomb blasts rocked the national capital that had killed 26 people injured 133 others.