New Delhi, Mar 8 (IANS): A Delhi court on Monday convicted Ariz Khan, an alleged Indian Mujahideen terrorist, in a case related to the 2008 Batla House encounter.
Ariz Khan was arrested in February 2018, a decade after allegedly being on the run after the encounter at L-18 in Batla House.
Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav said that Ariz Khan, along with his associates, intentionally murdered encounter specialist and Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma and caused hurt to Head Constable Balwant Singh and Rajbir Singh.
"Ariz Khan is held guilty and convicted under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 27 of the Arms Act," the judge said.
The court will hear the arguments on the point of sentencing on March 15 at 12 noon.
Ariz has been convicted under section 186, 333, 353, 302, 307, 174(a) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and 27 of the Arms Act.
On September 19 in 2008, the Special Cell of Delhi Police carried out an encounter in Jamia Nagar's Batla House, in which two suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists died.
The suspected IM operatives were said to have been involved in the serial bomb blasts that took place in Delhi six days before the encounter.
Encounter specialist and Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who spearheaded the police action, was also killed during the operation.
Ariz is allegedly associated with the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen. Police claimed that he was present at Batla House, along with four others, and managed to give police a slip during the encounter.
As per the statements issued during Khan's arrest in 2018, the police had said that Khan is an expert bomb maker, executioner and conspirator, and had been wanted for his involvement in various bomb blast cases in Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Uttar Pradesh.
On the last date of hearing, the judge had issued a production warrant against Ariz Khan alias Junaid for his presence during the pronouncement of judgment.
Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) A.T. Ansari represented the Delhi Police, while advocate M.S. Khan represented Ariz Khan during trial proceedings in the matter.
Of the five men residing in the apartment in Batla House, Mohammed Sajid and Atif Amin were killed during the encounter, Junaid and Shahzad Ahmad fled and were caught years later, while Mohammad Saif surrendered to the police.
A trial court had, in July, 2013, sentenced Indian Mujahideen terrorist Shahzad Ahmed to life imprisonment in connection with the case.