Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Dec 13 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday formally filed charges against two members of the Hindu right-wing group, Abhinav Bharat, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bombing.The investigating agency filed the charges in the 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court here against Devendra Gupta and Lokesh Sharma, who are also accused in the Ajmer blast case.

The 80-page charge-sheet focuses on the role played by the two members of Abhinav Bharat.

A CBI official said investigations were on against the other accused in the case.

Nine people were killed in the blast during Friday prayers at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad May 18, 2007. The subsequent police firing on protesters outside the mosque claimed five more lives.

Gupta and Sharma, who are at present in judicial custody here, are among the six accused named by the CBI in the blast case.

Tne third accused, Swami Asimanand, who was arrested near Haridwar and brought here last month, is being interrogated by the central probe agency.

The prime accused in the case, Sandeep Sange and Ramchandra Kalsangra alias Ramji, are still untraced and on the run. The CBI in June announced a reward of Rs.10 lakh each for the arrest of the two accused, who hail from Indore in Madhya Pradesh.

Another accused, Sunil Joshi, a worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was killed by three gunmen in 2007 during an internal fight in the group.

Gupta and Sharma were arrested by the Rajasthan Anti-Terrorist Squad and the CBI brought them here in June this year.

The duo was also allegedly involved in the Ajmer Dargah blast. One person was killed and 30 others were injured in the blast at the Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi Dargah in Ajmer in October 2007.