HYDERABAD, Jan 5: The judge of Anti-Terrorism Court, Abdul Ghafoor Memon, here on Friday acquitted 14 accused persons in a blasphemy case.

The accused persons included Shabbir Ahmed Meerani, Allah Nawaz Meerani, Murtaza Meerani, Dr Rasheed, Mushtaque Ahmed, Muhammad Waris, Farooq Ismail, Hameed Ahmed , Anees, Anees Ahmed, Irshad Ahmed, Arshad Javed, Naveed Ahmed Sheikh and Faisal-ur-Rehman Khoso.

Three absconding accused persons were also exonerated.

A case was lodged against them at the police station of Jhuddo under sections 295A, C and 24 PPC on the complaint of a leader of Khatm-e-Nabuwat, Mohammad Sarwar Arain, vide crime No. 88/98 following a scuffle in Jhuddo on Aug 26,1998.

Salahuddin, advocate, represented the accused persons.

RAW AGENTS: The Anti-Terrorism Court, Hyderabad, here on Friday also remanded four alleged agents of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) to the police custody for four days.

They were arrested on Jan 1, by the Sanghar police and a large quantity of material used for explosives had also been recovered from them.

The accused persons were identified as Abdul Ghani, son of Bandi Khan, of Tando Allahyar, Chetan, son of Kewal Bajeer, of Umerkot, Mohammad Saleh, son of Muhammad Hussain, of Kunri and Ali Nawaz, son of Gahno Khan Leghari, of Matli.

The police have claimed that the RAW agents were involved in a failed attempt to derail a passenger train between Tando Adam and Nawabshah few days ago. An oil tanker was damaged in the bomb blast.

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