Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, November 1
The Special NIA court of Gurvinder Singh Malhotra on Monday awarded capital punishment to four accused charged with Gandhi maidan blasts.
The Court awarded life term to two, 10 years imprisonment to two while one was awarded seven years rigorous imprisonment. The blasts took place during the “Hunkar” rally of the then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Patna on October 27, 2013. Beside the six of the blasts took place around the venue of the rally, two bombs went off within 150 metre of the platform from where Modi delivered his speech.
Four live bombs were later discovered near the venue. The serial blast in the sprawling Gandhi Maidan had killed six and injured 89.
The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on October 27 convicted nine of the 10 accused involved in the blasts that was probed by country’s premier investigating agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The quantum of punishment was announced today.
The convicted included Haider Ali alias “Black Beauty”, Imtiyaz Ansari, Mohammed Mujibullah Ansari, Umar Siddiqui, Azharuddin Qureshi, Ahmed Hussain, Nawaz Ansari, Mohammed Iftekhar Alam, and Feroz Aslam. Another accused, Fakruddin was acquitted due to lack of evidence. The minor was sentenced for three years in 2017 by the Juvenile Justice Board.
Of them, the death sentenced had been awarded to Imtiaz Ansari, Haider Ali alias Black Beauty, Muzibullah Ansari and Noonan Ansari
Nine of the accused were members of Indian Mujahideen (IM) and one was associated with Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
