Ahmedabad: Nearly five years after the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, police uncovered another startling conspiracy linked to the accused; this time, from inside Sabarmati Central Jail. What initially appeared to be a small pit near their barracks turned out to be the opening of a meticulously dug 213-foot tunnel. The alleged conspiracy led to fresh charges against 24 inmates and stricter prison security.The case is still awaiting trial.The escape bid came to light during a routine inspection on Feb 11, 2013, when jail officials noticed a pit near the barracks housing the serial blasts accused. A more extensive search over the following days revealed that the inmates had allegedly dug a long tunnel beneath the high-security prison.The subsequent investigation resulted in a chargesheet against 24 accused in May 2013. Those named included Safdar Nagori, Zahid Shaikh, Raziuddin Nasir, and engineer Hafiz Mulla. Investigators built the case on statements from 169 witnesses, as well as on the recovery of tools allegedly used to excavate the tunnel.Police also seized engineering books that investigators believed had been used to plan and execute the escape. The discovery prompted prison authorities to tighten security and impose stricter controls on reading and study material available to the accused. Officials even denied study material sought by one of the accused, who was pursuing an architecture course, fearing it could be misused.The case remains under trial more than a decade after it was uncovered. Meanwhile, three of the accused named in the prison break case have since been acquitted in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
