A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Guwahati has convicted and sentenced a key accused in a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror conspiracy case to life imprisonment. The verdict, announced on Wednesday, marks a significant conclusion to a case involving plans to establish a module of the banned Pakistan-based outfit in Assam.
The Conviction and Sentencing Details
The convict, identified as Kamruj Zaman, also known as Hurairah or Kamaruddin, was handed life imprisonment under Section 18 of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The court awarded three separate sentences of simple imprisonment, with the life term being the maximum punishment. The sentences are to run concurrently.
In addition to the life term, the court imposed two separate five-year simple imprisonment sentences. One was under Section 18B of the UA(P) Act read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (criminal conspiracy), and the other under Section 38 of the UA(P) Act. The court also levied a fine of Rs 5,000 in each of the three instances. A default clause of an additional three months of simple imprisonment was also attached to the fines.
The Conspiracy to Spread Terror in Assam
The case, originally registered at Jamunamukh police station in Hojai district, pertained to Zaman's active conspiracy during 2017-18 to raise a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror module within Assam. According to the NIA, the objective was to carry out terrorist acts and spread fear among the general public.
The investigation revealed that Zaman had recruited several individuals, including Sahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam, and Omar Faruk, as part of his plan to establish this network. The activities were aimed at expanding the footprint of the Pakistan-based terror outfit in India's northeastern region.
Investigation and Earlier Convictions
Kamruj Zaman was arrested from Assam's Hojai district in 2018 following an extensive probe by central agencies. The NIA, which took over the investigation, filed a chargesheet in March 2019 against five accused, including Zaman and the four others named.
During the trial, three of the co-accused—Sahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam, and Omar Faruk—were convicted after pleading guilty. The fifth accused, Jaynal Uddin, passed away due to illness while the trial was ongoing. The NIA stated that Zaman was actively involved in attempts to establish and strengthen extremist networks in Assam on behalf of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.
The conviction underscores the continued efforts of security agencies to dismantle terror infrastructure and hold individuals accountable for conspiring against national security.
