Attack On Akbaruddin Owaisi: Four Get 10 Years, 10 Found Not Guilty

In the sensational case pertaining to the attempt to murder MIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi, four persons have been convicted. The VII Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge T Srinivas Rao pronounced the verdict. They have been handed out 10 years imprisonment and Rs 16000 fine each. Ten others, including the Accused No 1, Mohammad Bin Yafai, were found not guilty. It was proved that Mohammad Bin Yafai aka Mohammad Pahelwan, who allegedly masterminded the attack on Akbaruddin, the younger brother of AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, was in Sangareddy at the time of the incident. Significantly, the court saw no conspiracy angle in the case.

The convicted quartet - Hasan Bin Omer Yafai, Abdullah Bin Yonus Yafai, Awad Bin Yonus Yafai and Mohammed Bin Saleh Wahlan - have already served six years in prison. They will serve another four years.

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 MIM 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 MIM MLA Ahmed Balala accompanying Akbaruddin Owaisi had opened fire in retaliation.

A total of 14 accused faced trial in the case and four of them were convicted today. All the accused were present in court.

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.