AMN / PATNA
The Special NIA court in Patna pronounces quantum of punishment for nine (9) convicts in 2013 Patna Gandhi maidan serial blasts case, Four (4) accused awarded capital punishment, two (2) get life imprisonment, two (2) get 10 year imprisonment and one gets seven (7) years imprisonment.
The judgement was pronounced by the Additional district and session judge Gurwinder Singh Malhotra.
Imtiaz Ansar,Hyder Ali alias ‘Black Beauty’, Numan Ansari and Mojibullah Ansari were awared capital punishment. Umar Siddiqui and Azharuddin sentenced life imprisonment while Ahmad Hussain and Firoz Aslam 10 years imprisonment. Iftekhar Alam awarded seven years imprisonment.
Six people were killed and over 90 were injured in serial blasts that rocked Bihar’s capital on October 27, 2013. The explosions had taken place at the venue of then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s “Hunkar” rally.
The explosions occurred 150 metres from the platform where Mr Modi was to deliver his speech. Later, four more live bombs were discovered near the rally venue.
The NIA had taken over the investigation in November 2013 and had unearthed a plot to assassinate Modi who was the Prime Ministerial candidate for BJP in the 2014 General Elections.
After probing the incident, nine Indian Mujahideen (IM) suspects and Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were named as the accused in the case. Mastermind behind the attack Hyder Ali alias ‘Black Beauty’, Taufeeq Ansari, Mojibullah and Numan Ansari were arrested in the case in 2014.
