Published on: 13 July 2023 at 13:33 IST
Four individuals have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court for their involvement in the Indian Mujahideen (IM) conspiracy case. The case revolves around a plot orchestrated by Pakistan-backed terrorists to carry out bomb blasts throughout India. The convicted individuals had close ties with IM members, including key accused individuals Riyaz Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal, who were based in India.
The accused conducted surveillance of important locations such as Hyderabad and Delhi, and they also acquired explosives, weapons, and ammunition. The convicted individuals are Danish Ansari from Darbhanga, Bihar; Aftab Alam from Purnea, Bihar; Imran Khan from Nanded, Maharashtra; and Obaid-Jr-Rehman from Hyderabad, Telangana. They were found guilty on July 7 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The Special Judge also imposed fines of Rs 2,000 on Danish Ansari and Rs 10,000 on Aftab Alam. The trial against the other seven accused individuals, including Yasin Bhatkal, Asadullah Akhtar, Zia-Ur-Rehman, Tehsin Akhter, and Hyder Ali, is ongoing.
This case pertains to the conspiracy planned by members of the Indian Mujahideen, a group responsible for several attacks in India, including 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 Bengaluru Stadium blast in 2010 and the Hyderabad blasts in 2013 to the Indian Mujahideen.