Pakistani National, Four Others Put on Trial in Terror Case

Five suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives, including a Pakistani national, arrested for allegedly conspiring to kidnap businessmen from various places to raise funds to carry out terror strikes in the national capital, were today put on trial by a Delhi court.

The court framed charges against Pakistani national Arshad Khan, Mohd Shahid, Mohd Rashid, Abdul Subhan and his nephew Ashabuddin for alleged offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and under sections 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Khan, who is lodged in Kolkata Jail in connection with shoe baron Partha Roy Burman kidnapping case of 2001, was not produced before Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh today after which the court posted the matter for February 3 for formal framing of charges against him.

The court has directed that Khan be produced before it on the next date of hearing through video conferencing.

Section 18 of UAPA pertains to punishment for conspiracy, while section 20 relates to punishment for being a member of terrorist organisation.

Shahid and Rashid were arrested in December 2013 from Mewat region in Haryana by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in connection with the case. Police had named both of them in a charge sheet filed in May 2014 for the alleged offences.

Later, Subhan, Ashabuddin and Khan were arrested in the case and a supplementary charge sheet was filed against them.

In its charge sheet, police had alleged that Subhan was the main conspirator in the case and had entered into a conspiracy with others to carry out terrorist acts in Delhi.

It had claimed that Subhan was in touch with wanted LeT man Javed Baluchi, who is based in Pakistan.

With the arrest of Rashid and Shahid, police had claimed to have unearthed a terror module of the LeT which was at an "advanced stage" of planning a major strike in Delhi.

Ashabuddin was arrested in the case after he was produced before the court here from Kolkata Jail where he was serving jail term for his role in the Burman kidnapping case.

Police had earlier claimed that Rashid had told the investigators about LeT's plan to execute a terror strike "on the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition".