A special Prevention of Terrorism Act court in Ahmedabad acquitted three Muslim men in the Akshardham Temple attack case last week, ending years of legal uncertainty for the accused. The court held that the prosecution failed to present any evidence beyond material already rejected by the Supreme Court.
The Special POTA Court, led by Judge Hemang R. Rawal, cleared Abdul Rashid Suleman Ajmeri, Muhammad Farooq Muhammad Hafiz Shaikh, and Muhammad Yasin alias Yasin Bhatt. The court noted that the Supreme Court had earlier acquitted the main accused due to lack of prima facie evidence. It found no fresh material linking the three men to the case and ordered their release.
Suleman Ajmeri and Muhammad Farooq Muhammad Hafiz Shaikh were working in Saudi Arabia when the Akshardham Temple attack took place on Sep. 24, 2002. They were declared absconding. The Crime Branch arrested them after their return to Ahmedabad in 2019. Muhammad Yasin also faced prolonged incarceration linked to the same case.
Two other accused, Adam Suleman Ajmeri and Salim Hanif Shaikh, secured acquittal from the Supreme Court earlier. After their release, they approached Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind for legal help for the remaining accused. The JUH pursued the case through its Legal Aid Committee, leading to the present verdict.
The Akshardham case has seen multiple acquittals over the years. In 2014, the SC cleared all accused and reprimanded investigating agencies for serious lapses.