'Salman was only 15'

The 10th board mark sheet of the alleged IM operative, a key suspect in several serial blasts cases raises questions over his involvement in the terror attacks

If his school certificate is to believed, Delhi blasts' suspect Salman was only 15 at the time of the incident. And he was a year younger when the 2007 blasts in Varanasi and Gorakhpur happened, cases to which he has also been linked.


Salman is a minor, if his 10th board mark sheet is to be believed.u00a0
pic/Imtiyaz khan

MiD DAY has a copy of Salman's 10th board result sheet that was produced by the Jamia Teachers' Solidarity Association (JTSA), which states his date of birth as October 3, 1992. The JTSA was formed in the aftermath of the 2008 Batla House encounter.

Salman's lawyer moved a petition before the chief metropolitan magistrate on Friday, asking for the case to be heard before the Juvenile Justice Board. The matter is to come up on Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, JTSA has also written to Harsh Manderu00a0-- special commissioner on Juvenile Justiceu00a0-- stating that Salman's rights as a child have been violated. Salman is currently in police remand, in connection to the Delhi blasts case. The police maintain that Salman is 21 and have rejected any claims to the contrary.u00a0

The case assumes interest since after the Batla house encounter, MiD DAY had broken the story that Sajid Ansar, who was killed in the shootout, was a minor. Police had denied the news, but a MiD DAY investigation proved the claim to be true.

Salman is allegedly a member of the Indian Mujahideen. Police claim that he received training in handling weapons and explosives at Pakistan. He was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad of Uttar Pradesh from Badhni, along the Indo-Nepal border, on March 5. He was carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on his head.