NIA court sentences two Lucknow men to 20 months jail in Al-Qaeda linked terror conspiracy case

LUCKNOW: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has convicted two more accused, sending them to jail for a period of 20 months in the Al-Qaeda terror conspiracy case linked to Al Qaeda.

Mohd. Mustaqueem and Shakeel, both residents of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), were convicted by the NIA court under section 25 (1B)(a) of the Arms Act, read with section 120B of IPC. The Special Court at Lucknow sentenced the duo to 20 months’ imprisonment. A fine of Rs. 5000 each has also been imposed against them.

Following the investigation, the NIA filed one main and one supplementary chargesheet against a total of six arrested accused persons in the case.

Last Month, the NIA court sentenced one accused to imprisonment and imposed a fine for his involvement in a terror conspiracy linked to the banned terrorist organisation Al Qaeda.

The arrests took place based on information shared by one Al-Qaeda member, Umar Halmandi, who had himself identified and recruited some persons in Lucknow for raising the Al-Qaeda module in the region. He had further informed the police about the Al Qaeda affiliate ‘Ansaar Gajwatul Hind’ (AGH), an outfit raised to carry out a series of terrorist acts before August 15, 2021, in various cities of UP, especially Lucknow.

According to the NIA, Mohammad Moid, along with two other accused, Shakeel and Mohd. Mustaqeem assisted the accused Minhaj and Museeruddin in obtaining weapons and ammunition to further the terror conspiracy of AGH.

The NIA stated that Minhaj was radicalised by Tawheed and Adil Nabi, also known as Musa, and subsequently conspired with Museeruddin, who even pledged loyalty (baiyat) to advance the terror plot. Together, Minhaj and Museeruddin acquired arms, ammunition, and explosive materials with the intention of waging war against the Government of India.

The court has sentenced Mohammad Moid to the time he has already spent in prison, which amounts to 1 year, 9 months, and 13 days. Additionally, he was fined Rs. 5,000 under Section 25 (1B)(a) of the Arms Act, in conjunction with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This sentence was pronounced after the accused pleaded guilty. (ANI)