Ahmedabad blasts death sentence: Father of Kerala twins says they're innocent, to move SC

shibili and shaduli
Shibili Kareem and Shaduli Kareem. File photos

Kottayam: Two of the three Malayalis among the 38 persons awarded death sentence in the 2008 Ahmedabad Serial Blasts case are twins -- natives of Erattupetta in Kottayam district, Shibili Kareem and Shaduli Kareem.

Besides them, Kondotty native Sharafuddeen was also sentenced to the death penalty by a special court in Ahmedabad on Friday.

The Father of the twins, Abdul Kareem said they will challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

"We thought our sons will be released, they are innocent. I believe the apex court will give them justice," Abdul Kareem said.

He added that the explosions took place when his sons were in jail. According to him, the duo was in prison four months prior to the blasts. Shibili, it is understood, was working an IT engineer in Indore.

Meanwhile, the Solidarity Youth Movement Kerala, the youth wing of Islamic organisation Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has protested the verdict.

In a social media post on its Facebook page, Solidarity wrote: "Ahmedabad Verdict: Life of innocents is the price for fabricated script".

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had reported that the brothers attended a weapons training camp at Thangalpara near Vagamon organised by the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The NIA report states that they received training to conduct blasts at the Vagamon camp held between December 9 and 12, 2007, which was attended by 45 persons.

The NIA charge sheet stated that Shibili and Shaduli made transportation and accommodation arrangements for the other participants of the camp.

A fourth Malayali, Ansar Nadwi has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the blasts that claimed 56 lives and left more than 200 injured.

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