A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mohali has sentenced three Kashmiri students, who were linked to the banned terror outfit Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH), to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment each. The convicts were found guilty of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities and possessing weapons and explosives.
Details of the Convicts
The convicted individuals are Zahid Gulzar of Awantipora, Yasir Rafiq Bhat of Tral, and Mohammad Idris Shah of Pulwama. Notably, Yasir Rafiq Bhat is a cousin of slain militant Zakir Musa, who was the former chief of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. The court convicted them under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substances Act. Another accused, Suhail Ahmed Bhat, was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
Sentencing and Custody
The court had convicted the three on June 1 and pronounced the sentence on Thursday through video conferencing. All substantive sentences will run concurrently, meaning the convicts will serve a maximum of 10 years in prison. Defence counsel stated that the trio had already spent approximately seven years and eight months in custody and plans to challenge the verdict in the high court.
Background of the Case
According to the prosecution, security agencies received intelligence inputs in 2018 about Kashmiri students residing at the hostel of CT Institute of Engineering, Management and Technology in Jalandhar allegedly being involved in terrorist activities. During a raid on October 10, 2018, security personnel arrested the three accused and recovered an AK-47 rifle, a .30-bore Mauser pistol, ammunition, and nearly one kilogram of explosive powder from their hostel room.
Investigation and Trial
The case was subsequently handed over to the National Investigation Agency after evidence emerged linking the accused to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. During the trial, the prosecution examined 62 witnesses. Although some witnesses turned hostile, the court held that scientific, forensic, and digital evidence—including mobile phone data, Telegram chats, and forensic reports—established the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.
In its judgment, the court observed that the convicts were active members of the banned organisation and had collected arms and explosive material as part of a conspiracy to carry out terrorist activities and disrupt the democratic system. Investigators had alleged that the outfit was attempting to recruit Kashmiri students studying in Punjab to facilitate terror activities in different parts of the country.
