Shahzad alias Pappu, a key accused in the 2008 Delhi serial blasts was arrested from his village Khalispur in Azamgarh on February 1, 2010, one and a half years after Batla house encounter took place. He was staying at his house for five months before he was arrested, even as the police station was just 8 kms away.
The police team had recovered his passport from L-18 Batla House area of Jamia Nagar, where a 7-member team led by Mohan Chand Sharma, Inspector in the Special Cell of Delhi Police had carried out an encounter on 19 September 2008, to nab suspected IM terrorists behind serial blasts that had rocked Delhi just one week earlier.
Police claimed he was among the IM cell members who fired at and killed NC Sharma during the encounter.Two suspected terrorists were also shot dead along with Sharma. Soon after his arrest, Shahzad reportedly confessed to Sharma’s murder.
On the one hand Shahzad Ahmad seems like just another boy from a small town who came to the city to pursue his dreams. An aspiring commercial pilot from Azamgarh, Shahzad came to Delhi on September 1, 2008- just a few days before the Delhi blasts took place- to obtain his passport and visa for Australia where this commercial pilot’s licence holder was being offered a job.
However, later these reports were trashed by the police who claimed that he had taken money from his parents but never pursued any pilot training course.
Shahzad allegedly confessed to his role in the killing of the Delhi Police officer, and a chargesheet was filed against him and 3 others on 28 April 2010, accusing them of killing Inspector MC Sharma. He was charged with murder (Section 302), attempt to murder (Section 307), section 333 (causing hurt to public servant), 353 (assault to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, besides section 27 of the Arms Act for possession of illegal weapons.
While facing trial in the Batla House encounter case, Shahzad claimed before a Delhi court that he was not present in the flat in which the alleged shootout took place. He asked the judge to visit the site himself to see if anyone could jump from 4th floor of the balcony, as stated by Delhi police, and escape.
The court however, took slim view of his arguments holding him guilty of all charges including that of murdering Inspector Sharma.
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