Pakistan summons Indian Envoy over Aseemanand's acquittal in 2007 Ajmer blast case
Indian envoy was informed about Islamabad’s strong objection to Swami Aseemanand being acquitted by National Investigation Court.
Published: 11th March 2017 11:34 AM | Last Updated: 11th March 2017 11:34 AM | A+A A-
Right wing Hindu group Abhinav Bharat member Swami Aseemanand. (File | PTI )
ISLAMABAD: India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Paksitan J.P. Singh was summoned by the Foreign Office and reportedly informed about Islamabad’s strong objection to 2007 Ajmer blast case accused Swami Aseemanand being acquitted by National Investigation (NIA) Court.
Swami Aseemanand was accused in the Ajmer blast case as per the NIA's chargesheet filed in 2007.
The agency accused Aseemamand of hatching the conspiracy of bombing the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti shrine, which killed three people and injured 17.
The hearing into the matter was postponed multiple times as witnesses made applications delaying their appearance before the court, citing a threat to their lives among other reasons.
The investigation in the matter was later handed over to the ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad) in November 2007.
Later in December 2010, the chief judicial magistrate’s court permitted the National Investigation Agency to interrogate the accused.
After the change of government at the Centre in 2014, the case was fast-tracked.
Aseemanand is an accused in several other cases, including that of blast at Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid in 2007 and the explosion in the same year on the Samjhauta Express train in which led to the killing of 70 passengers on the train running between India and Pakistan.
He was jailed in 2010 after allegedly admitting to his involvement in the terror attack on the train.
Aseemanand later said he had been tortured and made to give a false statement.
