Guwahati, Jan 23, 2025, IANS

Guwahati, Jan 23 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA), Special Court, Guwahati has sentenced two terror suspects to imprisonment in the ABT (Ansarullah Bangla Team) case, NIA sources said on Thursday. NIA sources said that the Special NIA court pronounced the sentence on Wednesday and both the terror suspects hail from the Barpeta district of Assam. They have been punished under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Accused Mamunur Rashid has been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 has been imposed. Also, the court awarded imprisonment of one month and rigorous imprisonment for the period already undergone (2 years 10 months and 13 days) under the UA (P) Act. He has also been sentenced to imprisonment of three months under section 120 (B) IPC. Accused Mukibul Hussain alias Makibul Hussain has been sentenced to imprisonment for six months and fine of Rs 500, as well as imprisonment of 14 days under section 120 (B) of IPC. Like his co-accused Mamunur, he has also been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for the period already undergone (2 years 8 months and 13 days) under the UA (P) Act. The case, registered in March 2022, relates to a module of ABT with affiliation to the proscribed international terror organisation Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The module, led by Bangladeshi national Saiful Islam alias Haroon Rashid, was active in the Barpeta district of Assam. The NIA had filed a chargesheet in the case against eight accused in August 2022, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against two others in August 2023. Further investigation and trial in the case continues. Meanwhile, the Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF) since December 17 last year has so far arrested 14 associates of the Bangladesh-based ABT from Assam, West Bengal and Kerala. Assam Police officials said that of the 14 detainees, including a Bangladeshi national, were working under the direction of Md Farhan Israk, a close associate of Jasimuddin Rahmani, the Chief of ABT. The ABT sent one Bangladeshi national Md Sad Radi alias Shab Sheikh a resident of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, to India to spread their nefarious ideology amongst like-minded people across India.