Delhi blasts accused may contest MCD polls

Still fresh in the memories, the infamous Batla House encounter issue is again set to raise the political temperature. The accused Zia-ur-Rehman, who is currently in jail for his alleged involvement in the Delhi blasts and backed by Okhla MLA Mohd Asif Khan, is set to challenge Congress candidate in the upcoming Delhi civic polls. MCD polls will take place on April 15.

Speaking exclusively to TSI, Okhla MLA Mohd Asif Khan said, "Yes I am backing him (Zia-ur-Rehman) to contest upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls from Zakir Nagar ward. We will soon seek court's direction to allow him to file his nomination papers."

He further added, " And I don't think that there would be any legal implication in contesting the polls as he is just an undertrial. Though there maybe serious charges against him but he is innocent until proven guilty."

The accused Zia-ur-Rehman,who was a student of BA(Pass) final year in Jamia Millia Islamia, is facing 26 charges of blast, including five in Delhi and 21 in Ahmedabad in Gujarat in 2008. Zia-ur-Rehman is currently lodged in Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

When we contacted Zia-ur-Rehman's family to confirm the news of his contesting the MCD polls as ward councilor, a senior member of his family requesting anonymity said, "We are going to field him for the post of councilor from Zakir Nagar ward. We have consulted our lawyers in this regard and they have given us a go ahead."

"We are feeling betrayed by the Congress party as far as the Batla House encounter is concerned. We just got promises from them and no assurance of enquiry into the matter. Our son is being falsely implicated in those blasts. We will file a plea in the court seeking permission for his nomination," added the family member.

Zia-ur-Rehman's father Abdur Rahman is also made an accused in the case. He was charged by the police for arranging a fake rent agreement for the two accused killed in the encounter by Delhi Police at L-18 Flat in Batla House in Jamia Nagar in 2008.

When contacted for a reaction on the issue, Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Rashid Alvi refused to comment.

Interestingly, the backers of Zia-ur-Rehman are directly targeting the incumbent Congress councilor from Zakir Nagar, Shoaib Danish.

"I have no fear of anyone. This is a democracy and anyone can contest against anyone. People here have seen my work and I am confident that they will vote for development and peace,"Congress candidate Shoaib Danish told TSI. Shoaib alleged that supporters of Zia-ur-Rehman wants to play sympathy card on the issue of Batla House case.

Earlier, local MLA Mohd Asif Khan had won the Okhla Assembly constituency by playing on the sympathy waves generated by the encounter issue. He had trounced the Congress candidate by a hefty margin. Before Asif, the seat was held by Congress leader Parvez Hashmi, who is now Rajya Sabha MP from Congress.

Another Zia-ur-Rehman supporter and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Amanatullah Khan said, "We had no other option. The people of this area would decide whether the Batla encounter carried out by Delhi police was genuine or something else."

"Our main purpose here is to defeat the Congress. People here want to teach Congress a lesson for its treachery with the people of this area. The police have dubbed this place as "terror hub". Innocent youth are rounded up on a daily basis in this area in the name of "terror" which is completely unjustified," he added.

Delhi was rocked by multiple blasts on September 13, 2008. Five bombs went off within a span of thirty minutes, between 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Two of them in the heart of Delhi in Connaught Place, two at the upscale Greater Kailash M-Block market in south Delhi, and one, the most damaging one, in the crowded Ghaffar Market in Karol Bagh.

In all 26 people had lost their lives and 50 others suffered injuries. The blasts were blamed on an outfit called Indian Mujahideen.

Subsequently, on the afternoon of September 19, the Delhi Police raided L-18 building in Batla House killing two alleged terrorists, Atif Amin and Sajid, in the ensuing gunbattle.

Atif Was enrolled in M.A. Human Rights at Jamia Millia Islamia, while, Sajid was a student of Class XI in Azamgarh. Mohan Chand Sharma, an inspector of the Delhi Police's Special Cell, was injured in the encounter and later succumbed to his injuries in the Holy Family hospital.

The Delhi Police had then claimed that the occupants of L-18, Flat, hailing from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh were part of 'Indian Mujahedeen' network. All were students of various universities and institutes in Delhi.

The Delhi Police had alleged that the deceased and arrested youth conspired and executed the Delhi blasts. The police had also arrested Saquib Nisar, a friend of Atif, and Mohammad Shakeel, another student of JMI.

Nakshab Khan can be contacted at nakshab.khan@thesundayindian.com