Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) A National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court here on Wednesday sentenced Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Syed Mohammad Idrish to 10 years of imprisonment.

While hearing a sedition case against him, Judge Sukumar Roy issued this order, which also included a fine.

NIA lawyer Shyamal Ghosh said that Idrish confessed his guilt in court. After considering all aspects, the court found Idrish guilty.

In March 2020, college student Tania Parvin was arrested on charges of working for the Islamic militant organisation while based in Baduria in the North 24 Parganas district.

It may be recalled that she was initially arrested by the State Police’s Special Task Force. Within two weeks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation of the case. Many confidential details emerged during Tania’s interrogation. The college student herself was inspired by the banned Pakistani militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba and began working for them. She created groups on social media and inspired many young men and women like herself with the ideology of jihad. In this way, she had created a module. Militants were recruited online, and Tania did all of this while based in Baduria.

Following her interrogation, Lashkar militant Altaf was arrested from Bandipora in Kashmir. Subsequently, Syed Mohammad Idrish, alias Munna and Ayesha Burhan, alias Ayesha Siddiqui, were apprehended one after another.

The NIA filed the charge sheet in the case in September 2020. The national investigating agency filed an additional charge sheet against Tania Parvin, Syed Mohammad Idris and Ayesha. Cases were filed against the arrested militants under multiple sections, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Notably, among the accused, Ayesha Siddiqui is a resident of Punjab province in Pakistan. Idris, also known as Munna, lived in Karnataka. The arrested militants had planned a major act of sabotage in India.

Sources said the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI was supporting this jihadist module in their plan. However, the militants could not escape the watchful eyes of the Indian intelligence agencies. Of the three, the court so far has sentenced Idris.

–IANS

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