NIA special court convicts Bangladeshi JMB terrorist for planting IED in Bodh Gaya

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A special NIA court on Wednesday convicted a Bangladeshi terrorist of the JMB terror group in connection with a blast at the Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodh Gaya in 2018, an official said.

Jahidul Islam, a member of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist group, was convicted under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substance Act and the Foreigners Act, the official of the premier investigation agency said.

The quantum of punishment against him would be announced in due course, the NIA official said. The case, registered in February 2018, pertains to planting of three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in and around the premises of the temple, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) official said.

The first IED, detected at the gate number 5 of Kalchakra Maidan, exploded while it was being secured, the official said. Two more live IEDs were recovered near Srilankan Monastery and at the stairs of the gate number 4 of Mahabodhi Temple, the NIA official said.

The convicts hatched a conspiracy by way of planting improvised explosive devices at the temple complex during a visit of the Dalai Lama and the Governor of Bihar, according to the NIA official. After investigation, a charge sheet was filed against three accused in September 2018 and a supplementary charge sheet was filed in January 2019 against the remaining six accused, the NIA official said.

Earlier, eight accused were convicted and sentenced in December last year in which three accused, Paigambar Sheikh, Ahmad Ali, Nur Alam Momin, were awarded life imprisonment; and five accused Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain,

Abdul Karim, Mustafizur Rahman and Arif Hussain were awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.

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