NIA Court orders framing of charges against Indian Mujahideen's Yasin Bhatkal, discharges 3

New Delhi: Delhi's NIA Court has ordered the framing of charges against Indian Mujahideen's (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and 10 of its operatives for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy to wage war against India and being members of the banned terrorist organization.
The same court in the matter also discharged the three accused noting that there is no sufficient direct evidence for proving the charge. Special NIA Judge Shailender Malik, in an order passed on March 31, ordered the framing of charges against Bhatkal and others and said there was enough evidence to put the accused persons on the trial.
The court of special judge Shailender Malik ordered the framing of charges against Bhatkal, Ansari, Mohd Aftab Alam, Imran Khan, Syed, Obaid Ur Rehman, Asaudullah Akhtar, Ujjair Ahmad, Mohd Tehsin Akhtar, Haider Ali and Zia Ur Rehman.
It is in allegations that in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy, functionaries of Indian Mujahideen undertook large-scale recruitment/induction of new members for the commission of terrorist activities in various parts of India, with active aid and support from Pakistan-based associates, as well as sleeper cells within the country, to commit terrorist acts by bomb blasts at prominent places in India, especially in Delhi.
Sources also revealed that Indian Mujahideen operatives and its frontal organizations have received regular funds for their terrorist activities.
The probe agency states that during the investigation, it was ascertained that Mohammad Danish Ansari was recruited and indoctrinated by Bhatkal with the assistance of Tahseen Akhtar and Kafeel Akhtar. After being inducted in the IM, Ansari regularly visited the hideouts of the IM located at Sara - Mohanpur, Darbhanga. Danish Ansari had closely worked with Bhatkal and met several other IM operatives at the hide-outs of IM at Sara Mohanpur, Darbhanga, states probe agency.
Earlier, Investigation agencies also claimed that Ansari provided shelter to Bhatkal, who is on the run.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), is investigating a criminal case registered against the terrorist activities of the proscribed terrorist organization 'Indian Mujahideen under Sections 121A and 123 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and under Sections 17, 18, 18B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Indian Mujahideen is a terrorist organization proscribed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which was formed around the end of the year 2003.
A group of some ultra-radicalized Muslim youths including Iqbal Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Mohd Siddibappa Zarrar alias Yasin Bhatkal, who was associated earlier with another banned terrorist organization Student Islamic Movement of India, segregated themselves in aftermath of communal mobilization following Babri Masjid's demolition and Godhara riots.
The group formed a new terrorist organization called Indian Mujahideen to carry out terrorist attacks in different parts of India.
Those ultra-radicalized youths belong to different parts of India including Bhatkal, Azamgarh, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and others and they entered into a conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks in different parts of India to wage war against the Government of India.
Indian Mujahideen was banned as a terrorist organization on June 22, 2009. (ANI)