8 JMB terrorists convicted in Bodh Gaya temple blast case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Dec, 2021 11:32 AM
New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) An NIA Special Court in Patna on Friday convicted eight Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorists for planting three IEDs -- one of which exploded -- in January 2018, in and around the premises of Bodh Gaya temple complex in Bihar ahead of the scheduled visit of the Dalai Lama and the then Governor of the eastern state, officials said.
The NIA court convicted the eight individuals after going through the evidence, and hearing arguments of both the defence and the prosecution side.
The court convicted JMB terrorists -- P. Sheikh, Ahmad Ali, Nur Alam Momin, Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim alias Korim, Mustafizur Rahman alias Shaheen and Arif Hussain, under sections 121A, 122, 123 of IPC, Sec 16, 18, & 20 of UA (P) Act and Sec 4 & 5 of Explosive Substance Act, a statement said.
The NIA had registered the case on February 3, 2018.
The first Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detected at the gate number 5 of 'Kalchakra Maidan' and it had exploded while it was being secured. Two more IEDs were later detected near 'Sri Lankan Monastery', and at the stairs of gate number 4 of Mahabodhi temple.
The probe by NIA established that the convicted individuals had hatched a conspiracy by way of planting IEDs at Bodhgaya Temple complex, ahead of the dignitaries' visit.
The JMB terrorists had contacted each other, travelled together, conspired and procured explosives, fabricated and planted these three IEDs at Bodh Gaya temple complex.
In 2018, a chargesheet was filed against three arrested accused -- P. Sheikh, Ahmad Ali and Nur Alam, and supplementary chargesheet was later filed in 2019 against 6 more individuals -- Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim alias Korim, Mustafizur Rahman, Jahidul Islam alias Kausar and Arif Hussain.
The quantum of sentence against the eight convicted on Friday would be pronounced on December 17 by the NIA Special court.
Referring to police action against protesting farmers in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, the BJP leader said, "Congress leaders who are very keen to visit Lakhimpur Kheri have not uttered a single word against police lathicharge on farmers in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan."
Comparisons are on in social media whether this arrest could change the Congress fortunes as after Indira Gandhi's arrest and later in the election in 1980 the Congress returned with a thumping majority.
During the 45-minute long meeting with the Home Minister, Channi also discussed the security situation of the state and demanded that the border must be sealed properly to effectively prevent the smuggling of weapons from Pakistan.
It is the largest agricultural protest to take place in India and others from around the world have also joined in, tens of thousands of farmers have camped for months on major highways to New Delhi to oppose the three laws.
On Thursday night, Shah reached to Nadda's residence and meeting between the two leaders lasted for about an hour. The Shah-Nadda meeting came after a series of events. Earlier, on Wednesday, Amarinder met Shah.
