Mohali: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mohali has sentenced three students from Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a 2018 case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The convicts were identified as Zahid Gulzar, Yasir Rafiq Bhat and Mohammad Idrees Shah, all residents of Awantipora in Pulwama district. The court found them guilty of criminal conspiracy, offences under the UAPA and violations of the Explosive Substances Act.
The three have remained in judicial custody since their arrest on October 10, 2018.
The court, however, acquitted another accused, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, observing that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges against him beyond reasonable doubt.
The case originated from a police raid conducted at the hostel of the Shahpur campus of CT Institute in Jalandhar on October 10, 2018. During the operation, security agencies recovered weapons, ammunition and explosive material from the premises and subsequently arrested the accused.
According to the prosecution, the accused were allegedly planning unlawful activities and were linked to the banned militant outfit Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH). Investigators claimed the trio had received funds to further the organisation’s activities and were attempting to influence other students to join the group.
Punjab Police had registered FIR No. 166/2018 at Sadar Police Station, Jalandhar, before launching an investigation into the case.
During the search operation, police reportedly recovered an AK-series rifle along with two magazines and 54 live cartridges, a Mauser pistol with two magazines and 31 live rounds, besides nearly one kilogram of explosive material.
Investigators further alleged that Yasir Rafiq Bhat, a relative of former AGH chief Zakir Musa, played a key role in procuring explosive material and encouraging Kashmiri students at the institute to associate with the organisation and participate in its activities.
The court’s verdict brings the long-running case to a close after nearly eight years of investigation and trial proceedings.
