RAWALPINDI, Nov 29: A man accused of being involved in assassination of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto challenged his indictment on Saturday stating he had only been charged with concealing the plot of killing the former PM.

The accused Sher Zaman through his lawyer Khurram Qureshi maintained that he had not been charged with murder or attempt to murder at any stage of investigation by police and he should not be indicted on the charges of murder or attempt to murder.

ATC-I Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman, who had been conducting the trial of five accused involved in the December 27 suicide blast, decided to hear the arguments on the application on December 6.

The court also recorded the statement of a constable of City Police. The witness had got registered the FUR of the incident on behalf of his SHO. There are four other men Abdul Rasheed, Aitzaz Shah, Rafaqat Hussain and Hasnain Gul accused of being involved in the suicide blast that caused the death of PPP chairperson and 20 other people.

The court also recorded the statements of three police officials who visited the crime scene after a bomb blast at R A Bazaar on September 4 last year. Both Rafaqat and Hasnain are accused of providing lodging and transportation to the suicide bomber. Separately the court directed the SHO Civil Lines Police to ensure the presence of prosecution witness in the jail in the case of suicide attack on a police picket near Army House in October last year. Again Rafaqat and Hasnain are accused of helping the attacker in this case.

Hearing in two other terrorism cases registered with Saddar Attock police was put off till December 13 as prosecution witnesses did not turn up to record their statements.

Meanwhile an additional sessions judge (ASJ) exonerated a man from the murder charges and ordered his release if he was not wanted in any other case.

ASJ Azam Ali acquitted Abdul Rasheed of the charges of killing Imran Khan in 2005 over a minor dispute. Civil Lines Police had booked Rasheed on murder charges that were dropped by the court as prosecution could not prove its case.