More than seven years after his arrest from Odisha, Al-Qaida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operative Mohd Abdur Rehman has been sentenced to 7 years and five months of rigorous imprisonment on Tuesday.
Rehman was arrested from Jagatpur on December 16, 2015, for his alleged links with terror outfit Al-Qaeda.
The Patiala House Court in Delhi, which had convicted Rehman under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on February 10, pronounced the quantum of punishment today. The court also imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 on the convict.
The court has also pronounced similar sentences for three other accused- Mohd Asif, Zafar Masood and Abdul Sami.
On February 10, Special Judge Sanjay Khanagwal had convicted Mohd Asif, Mohd Abdur Rehman, Zafar Masood, and Abdul Sami under Sections 18 (Conspiracy for Terror Act) and 18B (Recruitment for Terror Act) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Rehman was arrested during a joint operation by the special cell of Delhi and Odisha police on December 16, 2015, for allegedly running an illegal Madrasa at Tangi near Cuttack and radicalising the youths who enrolled there for terror activities.
Police sources said that he had visited Pakistan illegally and met top militants, including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Sajid Mir, both wanted in the 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks, there.
As per reports published in 2018, he had admitted his links with the terrorists involved in the 1999 Kandahar plane hijack and 2002 American Centre blast incident in Kolkata. He had provided safe shelter to a Pakistani terrorist involved in the Kandahar plane hijack in Cuttack.
As a cleric, Rehman also delivered provocative speeches at a number of ‘Jalsa’ functions both in Odisha and Jharkhand.
The operative’s brother was also one of the accused persons in the 2002 American Centre blast but was acquitted in the case.
Reported by Sibananda Rout, OTV