Guwahati: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Lucknow on Tuesday sentenced an Assam-origin operative of the banned terrorist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) to multiple terms of rigorous imprisonment, including life imprisonment, for plotting attacks on temples and engaging in other terrorist activities.
The HuM operative Kamruz Zaman, hailing from Assam’s Hojai district, has been convicted for plotting a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India.
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The NIA took over the investigation from the Anti-Terrorist Squad Lucknow in September 2018 and subsequently registered the case.
Five accused were chargesheeted in the case, including Osama Bin Javed, an absconding accused who was killed in an encounter with security forces in September 2019.
The NIA investigations ascertained that Zaman, along with co-accused, purportedly planned a criminal conspiracy to wage war against the Indian government, including plotting attacks on various temples.
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Zaman was also implicated in securing funds with the knowledge that they would be used by HuM members to carry out terrorist acts.
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Further investigations revealed that Zaman was radicalised by Osama Bin Javed to join the banned terrorist organisation.
Both Zaman and Javed were recruited by two active members of the HuM – a district commander and the other a deputy district commander, both residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
These HuM members also provided Zaman and Javed with physical and weapons training.
Following this, Zaman was instructed to set up bases, create hideouts and identify targets in Uttar Pradesh, Assam and other parts of India for carrying out terrorist activities. Zaman subsequently travelled to Kanpur, where he surveyed multiple targets.
The NIA court sentenced Zaman to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000, life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000, another 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000, another life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 and another 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 under various sections of the law.
Zaman will serve an additional three months of simple imprisonment for each case of default on the fine, with all sentences running concurrently.