A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Lucknow on Tuesday sentenced Kamruz Zaman, a member of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), to multiple terms of rigorous imprisonment and life imprisonment for his role in a terror conspiracy aimed at targeting Hindu temples and other locations in India.
Zaman, convicted in a case re-registered by the NIA in 2018, was involved in raising funds for terrorist activities and conducting reconnaissance for potential attacks. The court imposed sentences for various charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
According to an official statement from the NIA, "The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Lucknow (UP), on Tuesday sentenced one accused to multiple sentences of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and life imprisonment in a Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case."
"Kamruz Zaman of district Hojai, Assam, has been convicted and sent to jail by the special court for a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India," the statement added.
It further noted, "The case RC-02/2018/NIA-LKW was re-registered by NIA after taking over the investigation from ATS Lucknow in September 2018. Five accused were charge-sheeted in the case, including one absconding accused, Osama Bin Javed, who was later killed in an encounter with security forces in September 2019."
"NIA investigations established that accused Kamruz Zaman, along with co-accused, had hatched a criminal conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India and had conspired to carry out preparatory acts to target various Hindu temples. He was also involved in raising funds, knowing that the funds would be used by HM members for terrorist acts," the NIA statement read.
Additionally, according to NIA, "It was further found during investigations that Kamruz Zaman was radicalized by accused Osama Bin Javed to join the proscribed terrorist organization HM. They were both recruited to HM by two active militants, Mohammad Amin, a district commander of HM, and Riyaz Ahmad @ Hazari, a district deputy commander of HM, both residents of Kishtwar (J&K)."
"The two HM militants were also involved in the physical and weapons handling training of Kamruz Zaman and Osama Bin Javed in the jungles of Kishtwar. Following this, Kamruz Zaman was instructed to set up bases, hideouts, and select targets in UP, Assam, and other parts of India for carrying out terrorist activities. Accordingly, Kamruz had come to Kanpur (UP), where he had also carried out reconnaissance of a few targets," the statement read.
The NIA also said, "The NIA Special Court today sentenced Kamruz to 10 years RI with a Rs. 10,000 fine under section 120B of IPC, life imprisonment with a Rs. 10,000 fine under section 121A of IPC, 10 years RI with a Rs. 10,000 fine under section 17 of UA(P) Act, life imprisonment with a Rs. 10,000 fine under section 18 of the UA(P) Act, and 10 years RI with a Rs. 10,000 fine under section 39 of the UA(P) Act. He will be liable fora further three months of simple imprisonment in case of default of fine in each case. All the sentences will run concurrently."
