Bengaluru: “It’s been a long and daunting task but I chose not to give up,” says Victor Shaw D’Souza, a super cop who nabbed the last person among those accused of serial blasts in churches across Karnataka 16 years ago.
D’Souza arrested Sheikh Amir Ali alias Amir Ali mid August in joint operations with the Hyderabad police.
Ali, 36, was among 24 accused in the blasts case. He had gone into hiding soon after attacks.
The court awarded death penalty to 11 and life imprisonment to 12 others.
Asked if Ali would appeal ‘not-guilty,’ D’Souza told Matters India, “On the weight of the investigations and ample evidence placed before the honorable Courts all others have been convicted and are serving sentence. He will not be exempted.”
D’Souza headed teams from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Karnataka that arrested Ali in Hyderabad, capital of neighboring Telangana state.
The blasts took place on July 9, 2000, in churches in Wadi, Hubballi, and Jagjivanramnagar in Bengaluru city limits.
Ali belonged to the Deendar Anjuman group that was banned by the federal government in 2001 on various counts of inciting communal violence.
The group was founded by Hazrath Moulana Syed Siddique Hassan in 1924 to preach peace and religious harmony. He claimed himself to be the reincarnation of 12th century social reformer Channabasaveshwara.
Later, Siddique’s followers clandestinely indulged in spreading religious hatred, extortion and waging a war on India with propaganda that Islam is the only complete religion.
D’Souza recalled from his investigations and charge sheets that four explosions took place in Karnataka.
Two bombs exploded at St Anne’s Church, Wadi in Kalaburagi on June 8, 2000. A month later, bombs exploded at St John’s Lutheran Church, Hubballi.
There was an explosion at St Peter Paul Church, JJ Nagar, Bengaluru, on July 9, 2000. The blast destroyed the rear wall of the church and windowpanes.
“The suspects were travelling in a van transporting bombs after setting off explosions at JJ Nagar in Bangalore. The bombs in the van went off accidentally on Magadi Road killing one Zakir while another, S M Ibrahim, was injured,” D’Souza said.
Investigations revealed Ali was present when the serial blasts were plotted in Hyderabad in October 1999 during Siddiquie’s death anniversary. Ali supplied logistics in carrying out the blast at JJ Nagar.
Siddique’s four sons, who migrated to Pakistan, were also present at the meeting. The Court has issued arrest warrants.
The blasts were carried out to spark religious violence across the country, said D’Souza, a recipient of several accolades and awards from the state and federal governments for meritorious services as a police officer.