3 Pakistanis among eight LeT men awarded life imprisonment

:A court here on Wednesday sentenced eight men, including three Pakistani nationals, to life in prison for their links to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and for taking part in terror activities, an official said.

Nishachand, Pawan Puri, Arun Jain, Qabil Khan and Hafiz Abdul Majid, along with Pakistani nationals Asghar Ali, Mohammed Iqbal and Shakrullah were also asked to pay a fine, special public prosecutor for Rajasthan’s anti-terror squad, Mahaveer Jindal, said.

The men were convicted under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for terrorist conspiracy, recruiting others for terrorist acts and being members of a terrorist organisation.

The court of 17th additional district judge imposed an additional fine of ₹2 lakh each on Nishachand and Puri for raising funds for terror activities.

Ali was lodged in Bikaner Central Jail while Iqbal and Shakrullah in jails in Punjab’s Nabha and Patiala after they were arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan.

Jindal said the Pakistani men started influencing and recruiting fellow inmates for terror activities on the directions of LeT’s Waleed Bhai.

Ali came in contact with Nishachand and Puri in the Bikaner jail. Nishachand contacted Jain of Nagaur after being released from jail.

Iqbal and Shakrullah influenced Qabil Khan, a resident of Jhalawar who worked at a madrasa, in Nabha jail.

JAIPUR