Terror module case: All 13 get 5 years RI; likely to be released next year

Bengaluru, Sep 17: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court, on Friday, sentenced all 13 Muslim youths accused of plotting to kill Hindutva leaders, police officers and journalists, to five years' imprisonment, besides levying a fine.

The youths, who have been charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, including conspiracy and being part of a terrorist gang and under Arms Act, pleaded guilty on Thursday before the NIA special court.

The convicted are: Syed Tanzeem Ahmed of Ben galuru, Dr Imran Ahmed of Bengaluru, Dr Nayeem Siddiqui of Davanagere, Ubaid Ur Rehman of Hyderabad, Shoaib Ahmed Mirza alias Chotu of Hubballi, Abdul Hakeem Jamdar of Hubballi, Riyaz Ahmed Byahatti of Hubballi, Zafar Iqbal Sholapur of Hubb alli, Moha mmed Sa diq Lashkar of Hubballi, Mehaboob Bagalkot of Hubballi, Baba alias Mehboob Bagalkot and Wahid Hussain alias Saahil.

Sources said that since they have already spent four years, they will probably be out after a year's time.

According to sources, in 2012, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths received a tip off that the accused had hatched a conspiracy to kill important personalities in Bengaluru and Hubballi and disturb communal harmony.

After arresting them, the CCB sleuths claimed to have seized the illegal firearms and ammunition from them. A case was registered in Basaveshwaranagar police station, following which it was transferred to the NIA.

The NIA, in its prolonged chargesheet called the arrested youths as members of Lashker-E-Toiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihad-E-Islami.

The 13 men had filed applications pleading guilty on September 1, 2016. The NIA court judge B Muralidhara Pai pronounced the sentence and said the sentence of imprisonment in respect of all the offences would run concurrently. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 31,000 each on all the convicts. Shoaib Ahmed Mirza, Abdul Hakeem Jamadar, Mohammed Akram and Ubedullah Bahadur were sentenced under the Arms Act. Ubedullah Bahadur was also sentenced for the offence under the sections of the Official Secrets Act.

The convicts looked relieved after the pronouncement of the sentence and one of them requested the judge to direct the prison authorities to provide them medical facilities. The judge said that he will include the request in the order. The judge also ordered that the passports of the convicts, five of them, will be impounded under section 51 of UAPA Act till the completion of their respective terms of sentences.

Pleaded guilty for early release?

The Federation of Muslim NGOs has regretted that the 13 accused pleaded guilty because they were unable to bear the torture of remaining in prison.

"It is a sad reflection of the way investigations are being conducted in terror-related cases. Hundreds of witnesses are cited and a chargesheet running into several thousand pages is filed. The trial takes several years to complete. The draconian Unlawful Activities Prohibition Act ensures no bail is granted and the accused, even if innocent, have to spend several years in jail," read the statement.

Also Read: NIA court convicts 13 Muslim youths in 2012 terror module case