Three given 10 years’ RI, 2 let off in 2012 Nanded arms case

MUMBAI: A special NIA court on Tuesday convicted three men and sentenced them to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment while acquitting two men nine years after their arrest in the Nanded arms haul case.

The ATS had arrested the men in September 2012 for hatching a conspiracy to kill leaders, police officials, politicians and journalists across the country at the behest of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The ATS had recovered two revolvers and 14 rounds of ammunition.
Special judge D E Kothalikar found Mohammed Muazmmil Gani, Mohammed Akram and Mohammed Sadiq guilty under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act relating to criminal conspiracy and being members and committing offences as part of a terror organisation. Gani was also convicted under the Arms Act.
The acquiited men were Mohammed Irfan Gaus and Mohammed Ilyas Akbar.
While the ATS initially investigated the case, the NIA took over the investigation in 2013. The trial was later expedited by the Bombay high court. In 2017, the accused had sought to plead guilty. The pleas were rejected by the court.
Special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty examined 73 prosecution witnesses. Among them were those who attended the conspiracy meetings. A politician, who had allegedly received threat calls, was also a witness and deposed in 2019.
Following the pronouncement of judgement, the court issued a notice to a witness who turned hostile during his deposition. The prosecution moved a plea accusing him of perjury.
The investigating agency had alleged that Akram went to Saudi Arabia under the guise of seeking employment as a driver with the help of a wanted accused, Hyderabad native Mohammed Abdul Majeed. Majeed is alleged to be in Saudi Arabia.
It was alleged that in Saudi Arabia, Akram was introduced to various LeT members, also natives of Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The NIA alleged that conspiracy meetings were held by Akram and others in Riyadh and Dammam, Saudi Arabia, to carry out hits on targeted people in various parts of India “to create terror in society”.
It was alleged that Akram returned to India in 2012 as part of the plan and took the help of his Nanded-based associates, Gani and Sadiq. The trio went to Hyderabad as part of the preparations. It was alleged that arms were procured for the conspiracy.
In August 2012, based on secret information, the ATS arrested four accused. Arms were recovered from Gani and Sadiq. It was alleged that the arms were procured at Akram’s behest. Subsequently, Akram was arrested on August 31, 2015.