New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) A court here on Friday discharged suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu and Pakistani national Waqas alias Zia-ur-Rehman who had allegedly planned to carry out blasts in Delhi in 2012 with the help of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
A sessions judge of Patiala House court discharged Akhtar and Waqas due to lack of evidence, but framed charges against five other accused -- Imran Khan, Asad Khan, Sayed Feroz, Langde Irfan Mustafa, and Sayed Maqbool.
After the five accused pleaded not guilty and claimed trial, the court fixed April 28 for commencing the recording of the statements of prosecution witnesses.
Defence counsel M.S. Khan and Akram Khan told the court that there was no material to link Akhtar and Waqas to the banned terror outfit and no evidence to bear out the allegations.
According to the police, it was revealed during investigation that LeT and IM cadres were coordinating through Pakistan and Saudi Arabia-based associates Zabiuddin alias Zabi, and specially through absconding terrorist Fayaz Kagzi, to carry out major strikes in Delhi and other cities of India.
According to the police, the two accused disclosed that on the direction of IM chief Riyaz Bhatkal and Kagzi, they were instructed to arrange logistics and material for blasts in Delhi.
They revealed that after carrying out serial blasts in Pune in August 2012, their next target was Delhi, the police said.
The Pune module members began reaching Delhi to carry out blasts but had to abort the plan after some of them were arrested.
Akhtar and Waqas are also facing trial in other terror cases.
