For the first time in India five senior operatives of banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen were today awarded death penalty by a special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the 2013 Dilsukhnagar twin blast case that shook the country.

In December 13, the court convicted the five members, including IM co-founder Mohd Ahmed Sidibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal, Pakistani national Zia-ur-Rahman alias Waqas, Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, Tahaseen Akhtar alias Monu and Ajaz Shaikh, who are at present in judicial custody and lodged in the Cherlapally Central Prison here.

Eighteen people were killed and 131 injured in two deadly explosions in Dilsukhnagar, a crowded shopping area in the city, on February 21, 2013. On November 7, the final arguments had concluded in the case before the NIA special court. Since IM founder Riyaz Bhatkal, the prime accused in the case, is absconding, the trial was split up against him.

On February 21, with a difference of 10 seconds, two bombs had exploded at 6.58 PM at Dilsukhnagar. The first blast took place at a bus stop in Dilsukhnagar and the second blast occurred near A1 Mirchi Centre.

Subsequently, the police arrested Asadullah Akthar (31) of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, Zia Ur Rahman (26) of Pakistan, Mohammed Tahseen Akhtar (27) of Samastipur in Bihar, Mohameed Ahmed Sidibappa (33) of Bhatkal in Karnataka and Ajaz Shaikh (29) of Pune in Maharashtra.

After completion of the trial, the special court set up for the case at Cherlapally Central Prison found the accused persons guilty in all the charges framed against them, and convicted the five accused giving the judgment on quantum of punishment.

The NIA had booked cases against the accused under sections 302, 307, 324, 326, 124 A, 153 A and 120B of IPC, and sections 3 & 5 of The Explosives Substances Act, sections 16, 18 & 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA had produced 157 witnesses, 486 exhibits, and 173 material objects in front of the court during the trial.