10 get life imprisonment for smuggling explosives from Pakistan

The guilty were nabbed in 2009 with RDX and other arms and ammunition in Rajasthan

A special court in Rajasthan’s Barmer pronounced 10 people guilty of smuggling explosives from Pakistan for supply to Sikh terror organization, Babbar Khalsa, on Tuesday and sentenced them to life imprisonment besides slapping fines. The convicts include one Babbar Khalsa member, who came to Barmer, to collect the consignment of explosives.

Police has not been able to nab 4 accused as they are not in the country.(AFP Photo)

The ten have been held guilty under different sections of the Explosive Substances Act, Explosive Act, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.

Barmer SC/ST court special judge Vamita Singh said the accused were guilty of bringing explosives to India with the help of Pakistani smugglers for supply to Babbar Khalsa. “The accused have helped the terrorists by forming an unlawful organization to spread terrorism in India with smuggled explosive,” the order said.

Barmer police booked 14 people, including two Pakistani smugglers Aliya Khan and Fotiya Khan and three Babbar Khalsa members Harjot Singh, Parmajit Singh and Jagmohan Singh in 2009 after recovering 6 kg of RDX, 8 foreign pistols and 420 rounds of cartridges during a raid at a location 13 km from Barmer town on September 8, 2009. Three people were arrested during the raid, and on the basis of information given by them, 9 kg of RDX, one timer device, 3 detonators, 910 cartridges and some other material was recovered.

Ten people, included Jagmohan Singh of Babbar Khalsa, were arrested; investigation against the remaining four is pending because they are outside India.

The Barmer special judge sentenced the 10 to life imprisonment (14 years) after pronouncing them guilty under section 4 of Explosive Act; sections 5 and 6 of Explosive Substances Act; sections 3/10, 18 and 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, section 7(25)(1)(D)(1-AA) of Arms Act and section 120B of IPC.

They were given five years imprisonment under section 3/25 of Arms Act, three years under sections 5, 9 (B) of Explosive Act, two years under sections 6, 9 (B) of Explosive Act, seven years under section 13 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and three years under section 153A of the IPC.

The conviction order said the sentences will be served concurrently and the time in police and judicial custody will be included in it.

The court acquitted the accused of charge under section 29 of the Arms Act giving them benefit of doubt.

The convicted people are Sodha Khan alias Sodiya alias Luniya, Najeer Khan (son of Meeru Khan), Najeer Khan (son of Jiya Khan), Khanu Khan, Musa Khan, Meeru Khan, Kalla Khan, Ramdha Khan, Mubarak Khan and Jagmohan Singh.

Six of them – Najeer Khan (son of Jiya Khan), Meeru Khan, Kalla Khan, Ramdha Khan, Mubarak Khan and Jagmohan Singh – are out on bail; Sodha Khan, Najeer Khan and Khanu Khan are in jail since 2009, and Musa Khan is in jail since 2011.

The court accepted the prosecution story according to which the consignment of explosive, arms and ammunition was smuggled from Pakistan for supply to Babbar Khalsa. Aliya Khan and Fotiya Khan of Pakistan smuggled the consignment to their India connections in Barmer. Jagmohan Singh came to Barmer to receive the consignment.