Akbaruddin Owaisi attack case:Hyderabad Court acquits prime accused Pahelwan, convicts 4 others

A local metropolitan sessions judge in Hyderabad's Nampally area convicted four people and acquitted 10 people, in the attempt to murder case of AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi. The quantum of punishment is yet to be declared.

The court held Hasan Bin Omer Yafai, Abdullah Bin Younus, Awadh Bin Younus Yafai, Salem Bin Wahlan guilty.

The prime accused, Mohammed Pahelwan, was reportedly acquitted.

Akbaruddin was attacked on April 30, 2011, by assailants with knives, who later opened fire at him. He was reported to have taken three bullets.

Pahelwan was a former AIMIM party member turned property dealer, who allegedly hatched the plan to attack Akbar Owaisi.

Local media reported that the counsel of the accused had appealed for an acquittal as they had already spent many years in jail. Pahelwan’s lawyers also argued that he was not present at the spot when the attack took place.

Since early on Thursday, security was tight around the premises of the court, where several policemen lined up to avoid any untoward incidents.

Entry into the court was strictly monitored, and only lawyers and clients were allowed inside.

Pahelwan and the other accused were brought to the court premises from the Cherlapally Jail, amid a tight circle of security around them.

The Times of India reported that sleuths of Commissioner's Task force were deployed in the vicinity of the court complex, along with armed pickets, and over 300 policemen inside the court.

“We are making a sound bandobust in and around the Metropolitan courts and will ensure that no mischievous person gains entry on the premises," Joel Davis, deputy commissioner of police, central zone told



TOI.

The case

Owaisi was in the Barkas area of his constituency in 2011, along with Malakpet AIMIM MLA Ahmed Bhalala during the attack, when many men, allegedly sent by Mohammed Phelwan attacked him with knives, and opened fire as he ran towards his car.

At the time, police said that the legislators' security personnel also opened fire, killing four of the assailants, including one Irfan, who was said to be Mohammed Pahelwan's nephew.

Irfan was one the accused who was acquitted in the case.

The incident had triggered a massive shut down in the Old City area, with police imposing Section 144 and stepping up security for days.

The police had also said that an ongoing property dispute was the motive behind the attack.

According to reports, the dispute involved government land at Bandalguda and Shaheen Nagar along with a graveyard at Balapur, that were allegedly encroached upon and sold by Pahelwan. On Owaisi's insistence, the administration was planning to demolish the alleged illegal constructions, which irked Pahelwan and his supporters.

The Central Crime Station, which filed the charge sheet, had named 83 witnesses.

In the FIR, the accused were charged under Sections 147 (Rioting), 148 (Rioting with Deadly weapon), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 307 (Attempt to Murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 27(1) of Indian Arms Act.

While Pahelwan initially got bail, he had to surrender to the court in May 2012 along with his associates, after it was cancelled. He was shifted, along with his men, to the Cherlapally prison.

Both parties can now challenge the decision in the Hyderabad High Court.