3 Pak nationals, 5 locals get life term

KOLKATA: A Kolkata court on Monday ordered life imprisonment for three Pakistani nationals and five locals found guilty of kidnapping city-based businessman Partha Roy Burman in July 2001.

The men comprised the second set of accused to face sentencing in this case.

The principal accused, Aftab Ansari, who also masterminded the attack on the American Centre in Kolkata in December 2002 and killing of several policemen, was sentenced to life in 2009 along with four of his associates.

Ansari, who was arrested in Dubai, worked for al-qaeda, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and anti-terrorist units of several states later found.

Burman is a partner in the family-owned Khadim Group, which is best known for its chain of footwear stores. The sum of ₹3.75 crore that the family paid for his release was allegedly transferred to Dubai and used in carrying out terrorist attacks across the globe, including the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on September 9, 2001.

Those sentenced by the Ali-

pore court on Monday include Mizanur Rahman, Mozammel Sheikh, Nayeem, Noor Mohammed, Dilshad alias Khalid Mehmood, Akhtar, Arshad and Jalal Mollah alias Omar.

Arshad, Dilshad and Nayeem, the Pakistani nationals, pleaded the government deport them since they had already served over 10 years in judicial custody. The judge refused their plea.

The kidnappers were led by Asif Raza Khan who grew up in Kolkata and was killed by policemen in Rajkot when he tried to escape. He told police the ransom money was used by the al-qaeda to carry out the 9/11 attacks.