Batla House case: Will challenge verdict, says Azamgarh civil society group

The Azamgarh-based civil society group, Association for Welfare, Medical, Educational and Legal Assistance, that is providing legal assistance to Shahzad Ahmad has said it will challenge the trial court’s conviction in the Delhi High Court. Shahzad was convicted by a trial court on Thursday in the Batla House encounter case for firing at the police and causing death of Inspector M C Sharma. (Read full report here ) [caption id=“attachment_986949” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of the Batla House encounter. AFP[/caption] Speaking to Firstpost, president of the association, Javed Akhtar, an orthopaedic by profession and a well-known social activist in Azamgarh, said, “We respect the verdict of court. But it has left us deeply disappointed. We will challenge the verdict in the Delhi High Court in next couple of days.” The association, comprising doctors and academicians, was formed in March 2009 to provide legal assistance and support to families of those from Azamgarh charged in terror cases. Shahzad, 24, belongs to village called Kalispur in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. While no one from Shahzad’s family was present in the trial court today when the verdict was delivered, members from civil society group Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association, which had raised questions on the genuineness of the encounter and had demanded for a judicial inquiry into it were present in court.