BABBAR KHALSA OPERATIVE, NINE OTHERS GET LIFE TERM ON TERROR CHARGES
Barmer police had recovered explosives during a raid in 2009
BARMER:A special court in Rajasthan’s Barmer on Tuesday pronounced 10 people guilty of smuggling explosives from Pakistan and supplying the same to terror organisation Babbar Khalsa and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
The court also imposed fine on the convicts, including a Babbar Khalsa operative, Jagmohan Singh, who went to Barmer to collect the consignment of explosives.
The 10 were convicted under different sections of the Explosive Substances Act, Explosive Act, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
Special judge of SC/ST court in Barmer, Vamita Singh, said they brought explosive to India with help of Pakistani smugglers for supplying them to the terror outfit.
14 PEOPLE WERE BOOKED, INCLUDING TWO PAKISTANI SMUGGLERS; THREE PERSONS ARRESTED DURING THE RAID HELPED POLICE SEIZE A TIMER DEVICE, 3 DETONATORS, 910 CARTRIDGES
“They helped formed an unlawful organisation to spread terrorism in India with smuggled explosives,” the order said.
The Barmer police had booked 14 people, including two Pakistani smugglers Aliya Khan and Fotiya Khan and three Babbar Khalsa members Harjot Singh, Parmajit Singh and Jagmohan Singh, in 2009 after recovering 6kg RDX, eight foreignmade pistols and 420 cartridges during a raid 13 km from Barmer town on September 8, 2009.
Three persons were arrested during the raid. On the basis of information given by them, 9kg RDX, a timer device, 3 detonators, 910 cartridges, etc were recovered. The investigation against the remaining four is pending as they are residing outside India.
The court sentenced the 10 to life imprisonment (14 years) after pronouncing them guilty under Section 4 of the Explosive Act; Sections 5 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act; Sections 3/10, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 7(25)(1)(D)(1-AA) of the Arms Act and Section 120B of IPC. Also, they were given fiveyear imprisonment under Section 3/25 of the Arms Act, three years under sections 5, 9 (B) of Explosive Act, two years under sections 6, 9 (B) of Explosive Act, seven years under section 13 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and three years under Section 153A of the IPC.
The sentences will be served concurrently and the time in police and judicial custody will be included in it. The court acquitted the accused of charge under Section 29 of the Arms Act giving them benefit of doubt.
The convicts are Sodha Khan alias Sodiya alias Luniya, Najeer Khan (son of Meeru Khan), Najeer Khan (son of Jiya Khan), Khanu Khan, Musa Khan, Meeru Khan, Kalla Khan, Ramdha Khan, Mubarak Khan and Jagmohan Singh.
Najeer Khan (son of Jiya Khan), Meeru Khan, Kalla Khan, Ramdha Khan, Mubarak Khan and Jagmohan Singh – are out on bail. Sodha Khan, Najeer Khan and Khanu Khan are in jail since 2009 while Musa is in jail since 2011.
Aliya Khan and Fotiya Khan of Pakistan allegedly smuggled the consignment to their India connections in Barmer.