Hyderabad, July 27: Two persons who had sold a mobile phone to one of the accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blasts, which is believed to have been used in the explosions, today went to Chanchalguda jail for the test identification parade (TIP) of the suspected Lokesh Sharma.
Though the CBI officials are tightlipped over TIP, unconfirmed reports suggested that the duo, natives of Indore, had identified Lokesh Sharma as the man to whom they had sold the cell phone.
Lokesh Sharma and Devender Gupta, accused in the Ajmer Sharif blasts and the Mecca Masjid blasts, were brought from Rajasthan by the CBI, a few days ago, and a local court had granted permission for the TIP of Lokesh Sharma while Gupta is in the custody of CBI for further interrogation.
A convoy of four vehicles, including that of the 12th additional metropolitan chief magistrate, arrived at the jail at 3.30 p.m. Amid tight security, both the persons one wearing a kurtapyjama and the other clad in a denim trouser with a Tshirt were escorted into the jail.
The CBI officials including investigation officer DSP Raja Balaji stood outside the jail for nearly an hour until the proceedings were completed.
It is learnt that the magistrate conducted the TIP parading more than 15 persons including Lokesh Sharma before the two persons.
“Since it is a TIP, it is the responsibility of the jail authorities to parade persons looking similar to Lokesh Sharma. The two persons are expected to recognise the accused when they are paraded,” a CBI official told Express. They were, however, tightlipped over the entire proceedings.
Sources said the two persons run a cell shop in Indore and Lokesh Sharma is believed to have purchased a mobile from them which was later used in the Mecca Masjid blasts.
–Agencies