The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Lucknow (UP), on Tuesday sentenced one accused to multiple sentences of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and life imprisonment in a Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case.
Kamruz Zaman of district Hojai, Assam, has been convicted and sent to jail by the special court in a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India.
The case RC-02/2018/NIA-LKW was re-registered by NIA after taking over the investigation from ATS Lucknow in September 2018. Five accused were chargesheeted in the case. They included one absconding accused Osama Bin Javed, who was later killed in an encounter with security forces in September 2019.
NIA investigations established that accused Kamruz Zaman, along with co-accused, had hatched a criminal conspiracy for waging war against the Government of India, and had conspired to carry out preparatory acts with a view to targetting various Hindu temples. He was also involved in raising funds, knowing that the funds would be used by HM members for terrorist acts.
It was further found during investigations that Kamruz Zaman was radicalized by accused Osama Bin Javed to join the proscribed terrorist organization HM. They were both recruited to HM by two active militants, namely Mohammad Amin, a district commander of HM, and Riyaz Ahmad @ Hazari, a district deputy commander of HM, both resident of Kishtwar (J&K).
The two HM militants were also involved in the physical and weapons handling training of Kamruz Zaman and Osama Bin Javed in the jungles of Kishtwar, following which Kamruz Zaman was instructed to set up bases, hideouts and select targets in UP, Assam and other parts of India for carrying out terrorist activities. Accordingly, Kamruz had come to Kanpur (UP), where he had also carried out reconnaissance of a few targets.
The NIA Special Court today sentenced Kamruz to 10 years RI with Rs. 10,000 fine under section 120B of IPC, life imprisonment with Rs. 10,000 fine u/s 121A of IPC, 10 years RI with Rs. 10,000 fine u/s 17 of UA(P) Act, life Imprisonment with Rs. 10,000 fine u/s 18 of the UA(P) Act, and 10 years RI with Rs. 10,000 fine u/s 39 of the UA(P) Act. He will be liable of further three months of simple imprisonment in case of default of fine in each case. All the sentences will run concurrently.
