Court declares two IM suspects proclaimed offenders

New Delhi, July 3 : A city court Friday declared two alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists, who escaped after a gun battle with the police in Jamia Nagar here last September, as proclaimed offenders.

'The accused Ariz Khan and Shahjad Ahmed are hereby declared as proclaimed offenders,' Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Navin Arora said.

Ariz and Shahjad, both from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, engaged in a gun-battle with policemen Sep 19 last year in Batla House in the Jamia Nagar locality. They later gave police the slip.

Decorated police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma was killed in the gun battle as was Atif Ameen, the prime accused in the Sep 13 serial blasts, and co-accused Sajid.

Mohd Saif was the sole Indian Mujahideen suspect to be caught alive, police said.

The police have so far failed to nab the two, who carry rewards of Rs.100,000 each on their heads.

The court, meanwhile, withdrew its earlier orders asking the police to attach the houses of the two IM suspects in Azamgarh after a police report concluded that the buildings belonged to Niyaz Ahmed and Anjum Sehar.

A case under the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act, dealing with murder, attempt to murder, and possession of arms was lodged against them.