The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Mumbai sentenced three Bangladeshi nationals to five years in prison on Thursday for harboring members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a group linked to Al-Qaida, in Pune.
According to a release from the NIA, the convicted individuals—Mohammed Habibur Rehman Habib, also known as Raj Jesub Mandal; Hannan Anwar Hussain Khan, alias Hannan Baburali Gazi; and Mohd Azarali Subhanallah, also known as Raja Jesub Mandal—received their sentences under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Foreigners Act. Each has also been fined Rs 2,000.
With this latest ruling, a total of five individuals have been convicted in connection with the case. Earlier in October 2023, two other suspects, Ripen Hussain and Mohammad Hasan Ali Mohammad Amer Ali, were similarly sentenced to five years in prison.
The case originated with the Pune Police in March 2018, following intelligence reports about several Bangladeshi nationals residing in Pune without valid documentation and assisting members of the ABT, which is recognized as a front organization for the banned terrorist group Al-Qaida.
The police intercepted Habib at Dhobighat, Bhairoba Nala in Pune, leading to the arrest of five Bangladeshi nationals involved in the case.
After taking over the investigation in May 2018, the NIA discovered that the arrested individuals had illegally entered India. They had fraudulently acquired various identification documents, including PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards, using fictitious names and fake documents. These fraudulent documents were utilized to obtain Indian SIM cards, open bank accounts, and seek employment in the country.
Further investigations by the NIA revealed that the accused had not only harbored but also funded several ABT operatives, including a key member identified as Samad Mia.
