Patna/Gaya16 hours ago
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Patna’s Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has sentenced three convicts to life imprisonment in connection with the January 19, 2018 blast and recovery of bombs at the Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya. Along with this, 5 convicts have been sentenced to 10 years in jail. The court of Special Judge Gurvinder Singh Malhotra announced the sentence on Friday. On December 10, the court had convicted everyone under different sections. All are currently lodged in Beur Jail in Patna.
Special Public Prosecutor Lalan Prasad Sinha said, “On December 10, all the eight convicts had voluntarily confessed to their crime. All of them have been convicted under various sections of the IPC, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act. The ninth accused in the case, Zahid-ul-Islam, has not confessed to his crime. The trial against him will continue.
The culprits said in the court – had committed the crime by being deceived
9 people are accused in this case, out of which 8 had confessed their crime by filing an application during the court appearance. It was also said in the confession that he committed this crime under the illusion and is continuously in jail after his arrest. Now he wants to return to his society and lead a normal life. Prior to this incident, there was an incident of bomb blast in the Mahabodhi temple complex in 2013 as well.
Special Public Prosecutor Lalan Prasad Sinha giving information about the whole matter.
Life imprisonment for these three
1. Prophet Sheikh
2. Ahmed Ali
3. Noor Alam
These five were sentenced to 10 years
1. Arif Hussain
2. Mustafiz Rahman
3. Abdul Karim
4. Dilawar Hussain
5. Adil Sheikh
Security of terrorists cell increased
The culprits of Bodh Gaya blast were sent to Beur Jail after their conviction. These eight terrorists have been kept in the High Security Cell. Security has been tightened around the cell. BMP jawans have been deployed outside the jail, while inside the jail the inmates have been deployed under the supervision of the cell. They are being monitored through CCTV cameras. After getting off the bus, they were thoroughly searched. They were sent to eat pumpkin vegetables and roti. Terrorist Ahmed Ali, Prophet Sheikh and Noor Alam, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, did not eat food.
There was a conspiracy against the Dalai Lama and the Governor of Bihar
The matter pertains to the installation of three IEDs in and around the temple premises. The culprits had hatched a conspiracy by planting IEDs in the temple premises during the visit of the Dalai Lama and the Governor of Bihar. The incident is of 19 January 2018, when Nigma Puja of Buddhists was organized in Mahabodhi Temple. The Dalai Lama also participated in this.
The first IED found at gate number five of Kalachakra ground exploded during deactivation. Two more IEDs were recovered near the Sri Lankan Monastery and from the steps of Gate No 4 of the Mahabodhi Temple. The NIA had filed a charge sheet against 9 after arresting the accused during the investigation.
This is the second sentence from NIA court within 3 months
The court of Justice Gurvinder Singh Malhotra of NIA’s special court located at Patna Civil Court sentenced this second sentence within 3 months. The first sentence was given in the Gandhi Maidan blast. The same special court had on October 27 convicted nine accused in the serial bomb blasts during BJP’s Hunkar rally at Gandhi Maidan in 2013 and on November 1, 2021, four accused, Imtiaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Numan Ansari and Mujibullah Ansari. Was sentenced to death, Umar Siddiqui and Azharuddin Qureshi were sentenced to life imprisonment, Firoz Aslam and Ahmed Hussain were sentenced to 10 years each and Iftekhar Alam was sentenced to 5 years.
At the same time, the second sentence was pronounced on Friday in the case of bomb blast in Bodh Gaya’s Mahabodhi temple during Nigma Puja in 2018. In this case, on December 10, the same special court had convicted 8 accused on the basis of confession. Ahmed Ali, Prophet Sheikh and Noor Alam were sentenced to life imprisonment, while Adil Sheikh, Dilawar Hussain, Abdul Karim, Arif Hussain and Mustafizur Rahman were sentenced to 10 years each on 17 December 2021.
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