NIA Court Hands Life Term to Key Accused in Assam Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Conspiracy Case

GUWAHATI:
In a major crackdown on terror networks, a key accused in a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case has been convicted and sentenced by the Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Guwahati, Assam, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, Md. Kamruj Zaman, also known as Dr Hurairah and Kamaruddin, was on Tuesday awarded three separate sentences of simple imprisonment, with the maximum punishment being imprisonment for life, the NIA said in a statement.

The sentences will run concurrently and include life imprisonment under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the statement further read.

In addition, the court awarded five years of simple imprisonment each under Section 18B of the UA(P) Act, 1967, read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, and under Section 38 of the UA(P) Act.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 in each of the three instances, with an additional simple imprisonment of three months in case of default, the agency said in its statement.

The case, registered as RC 08/2018/NIA-GUW at Jamunamukh in Assam’s Hojai district, pertained to a conspiracy hatched by Kamruj Zaman to raise a module of the banned Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror organisation in Assam during 2017-18.

The objective of the conspiracy was to carry out terrorist activities and strike fear into the general public.

As per the findings of the NIA investigation, Kamruj Zaman had recruited accused Sahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam, Omar Faruk and others as part of his plan to establish the terror network in the state.

Officials said the activities were aimed at expanding the footprint of the Pakistan-based terror outfit in the Northeast.

According to the prosecution, Kamruj Zaman was actively involved in attempts to establish and strengthen extremist networks in Assam, acting on behalf of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

He was arrested in 2018 following an extensive probe conducted by central agencies.

The anti-terror agency had filed a charge sheet in March 2019 against five accused, including Kamruj Zaman and the four others named in the case.

During the course of the trial, Sahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam and Omar Faruk were convicted after pleading guilty.

The fifth accused, identified as Jaynal Uddin, died due to illness while the trial was underway.

Kamruj Zaman is a resident of Erakapili village under the Jamunamukh police station in Hojai district of Assam.

Following his conviction, the accused has been shifted to Guwahati Central Jail, where he will serve his sentence.

Security agencies described the verdict as a significant legal blow to terror outfits seeking to expand their activities and influence in the northeastern region of the country.