Mumbai: On Tuesday, The key plotter of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks Abu Jundal along with six others was handed life term in the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case by a special MCOCA court.
The case is related to seizure of huge amount of arms, ammunition and explosives by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in 2006.
The name of six other convicts are : Billal Ahmed, Sayed Akif, Afroz khan, Mohammed Aslam Kashmiri, Faizal Ataur Rehman and Mohammed Aamir Sheikh. They were handed out life term by designated Judge Shrikant Anekar.
The court said at the time of prounoucing the sentence that all the seven convicts will serve imprisonment till their (natural) life.
Also, two other convicts – Dr Mohammed Sharif and Mohammed Mujaffar Tanvir were handed out 14 years of imprisonment. While three others – Javed Ahmed, Afzal khan and Mushtaq Ahmed were awarded eight years imprisonment.
Out of total 22 accused in the case, last week the court acquitted eight others. While trial of two accused was separated as one of them was declared hostile after he turned approver, while another accused is absconding.
On 8th May 2006, the Maharashtra ATS team chased anIndica car and a Tata Sumo on Chandwad-Manmad Highway near Aurangabad. ATS arrested three terror suspects and seized 3200 bullets, 10 AK-47 rifles and 30kg of RDX.
Jundal, allegedly driving the Indica, managed to give police the slip.
The judge had also accepted prosecution’s case that the accused wanted to strike terror in the minds of the people and wanted to eliminate public figures like Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi and Hindu leader Praveen Togadia (of VHP).
Abu Jundal drove to Malegaon and a few days later he escaped to Bangladesh, then he fled to Pakistan.
In 2012 Jundal was deported to India from Saudi Arabia. Later, charges were framed against the arrested accused in August 2013.
The MCOCA court had last week convicted Jundal under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substance Act, Indian Penal Code and Explosives Act while others under varying charges. However, Charges against them under MCOCA were dropped.
The special court had framed charges against the 22 accused in August 2013.
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