Indian Mujahideen Conspiracy Case: NIA Court Awards 10-Year-Jail To 4 Accused

A National Investigation Agency Special Court has recently handed down a 10-year prison sentence to 4 individuals in connection with the Indian Mujahideen conspiracy case.

The case involved a plot devised by Pakistan-backed terrorists to carry out bomb blasts across India.

The convicted individuals have close ties with IM members, including key accused Riyaz Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal, both based in India.

According to the anti-terror agency, the four accused conducted reconnaissance of significant locations in Hyderabad and Delhi, and procured explosives, firearms, and ammunition.

The convicted individuals, namely Danish Ansari (from Darbhanga, Bihar), Aftab Alam (from Purnea, Bihar), Imran Khan (from Nanded, Maharashtra), and Obaid-Ur-Rehman (from Hyderabad, Telangana), were arrested between January and March 2013. They were found guilty under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Along with the prison terms, the Special Judge imposed a fine of Rs.2,000 on Danish Ansari and Rs.10,000 on Aftab Alam.

Previously, on March 31 of this year, the Special Court framed charges against these 4 individuals, along with 7 others, namely Yasin Bhatkal, Asadullah Akhtar, Zia-Ur-Rehman, Tehsin Akhter, and Hyder Ali.

The case revolves around the conspiracy orchestrated by members of the Indian Mujahideen, a group responsible for various bomb blasts in the country.

These include the Varanasi blasts in March 2006, the Mumbai serial blasts in July 2006, the UP courts serial blasts in Varanasi, Faizabad, and Lucknow in November 2007, the Hyderabad twin blasts in August 2007, as well as the Jaipur, Delhi, and Ahmedabad serial blasts in 2008.

The NIA also attributes the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast in Bengaluru in 2010 and the Hyderabad twin blasts in 2013 to the Indian Mujahideen.