[Roorkee ISIS Module Case] Delhi Special Court pronounces sentence against five accused

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi, on June 2, 2022, convicted and pronounced sentence against five accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA (P) Act] and the Explosive Substances Act.

The case pertains to the conspiracy hatched by a foreign-based ISIS handler Yousuf Al-Hindi (since dead) in connivance with the accused persons to carry out terrorist activity in the area of Delhi / NCR and by planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) during the Ardh Kumbh festival in Haridwar, Uttarakhand and for this, they were in the process of acquiring explosives & necessary expertise in assembling IEDs.

The accused persons are:

1. Akhlakur Rehman @ Akhlaq was sentenced to 7 years of Rigorous imprisonment (RI) and a fine under Sections 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 20 (punishment for being a member of a terrorist gang or organization), 23 (enhanced penalties) of UA (P) Act, 5 years RI and fine under Section 120B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) of IPC, 5 years of RI and fine under Section 4(b), 5 (Punishment for making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances) of Explosives Substances Act read with 120B of IPC.
2. Md. Azeemushan was sentenced to 07 years of RI and a fine under Section 18, 20, 23 of UA (P) Act, 5 years RI and fine under Section 120B of IPC, 7 years of RI, and fine under Section 4(b), 5 of Explosives Substances Act read with 120B of IPC.
3. Md. Meraj @ Monu was sentenced to 7 years of RI and fine under Section 18, 20, 23 of UA(P) Act, 5 years RI and fine under Section 120B of IPC, 5 years of RI, and fine under Section 4(b), 5 of Explosives Substances Act read with 120B of IPC.
4. Md. Osama @ Adil @ Peer sentenced to 7 years of RI and fine under section 18, 20, 23 of UA(P) Act, 05 years RI and fine under Section 120B of IPC, 5 years of RI and fine under Section 4(b), 5 of Explosives Substances Act read with 120B of IPC.
5. Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed was sentenced to 7 years of RI and a fine under Section 17(punishment for raising funds for the terrorist act), 18, 20 of UA(P) Act, 5 years RI, and a fine under Section 120B of IPC.

As per the NIA press release, the case was initially registered by Special Cell, Delhi Police vide FIR No. 05/2016 on January 18, 2016, and then re-registered by the NIA on March 18, 2016. Upon completion of the investigation in the case, a charge sheet was filed against six accused persons, including the five accused persons.

The aforementioned accused persons had pleaded guilty before the court and were convicted on May 20, 2022.