03 August,2016 08:48 AM IST | | Sailee Dhayalkar
The special MCOCA court that convicted Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal and 11 others accused in the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case handed out the quantum of sentences yesterday
The special MCOCA court that convicted Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal and 11 others accused in the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case handed out the quantum of sentences yesterday. Consigning Jundal and other six to rigorous life imprisonment, special MCOCA judge Shrikant Anekar observed that the society at large should not suffer due to undue leniency to accused. Jundal is also a key plotter of the 26/11 terror attacks.
Judge Anekar, who convicted Abu Jundal, also sentenced Mohammad Amir Shakil Ahmed, Bilal Ahmed Abdul Razaq, Sayyed Akif Sayyed Jafruddin, Afroz Khan Shahid Khan Pathan, Faisal Ataur-Rehman Shaikh and Aslam Kashmiri under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The others convicted, namely, Muzaffar Tanveer and Dr Mohammad Sharif were sentenced to 14 years of RI, while Javed Ahmed Abdul Majid, Mushtaq Ahmed Mohammad Isaf Shaikh and Afzal Khan Nabi Khan were sentenced to eight years of imprisonment under sections of Arms Act, Explosive Substance Act and Explosive Act.
In additional remarks about the sentencing, Judge Anekar said, "In the matter of national security, prevention is better than cure," adding that the convicts would understand "language of deterrence" better. He further observed, "The 12 convicted people on their own evolved and participated in the larger conspiracy of Jihad."
Reacting to the judgment, Jundal told mid-day, "I am disappointed with the court's decision. I didn't expect to get a life sentence. We shall definitely approach the High Court. Not just me alone, the rest are also innocent."
As Mohammad Sharif Shabbir Ahmed was being handed the 14-year sentence, he attempted to get a word in and after the sentencing, went to the witness box to request that he should only be sentenced to the 10 years that he had already spent in jail.
The court, while convicting them, had observed that after the 2002 Gujarat riots, the conspiracy was to eliminate then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and VHP leader Pravin Togadia.
