The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday sentenced Bangladesh-based terror group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB) chief Kausar to 29 years in jail for the 2nd October 2014 Burdwan blast case.
A fine of Rs 35,000 has also been imposed on him. Kausar was convicted by the court under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act and the Foreigners Act. As per reports, Kausar is also charge-sheeted in another NIA-case related to January 2018 Bodh Gaya blast.
2014 Burdwan Blast
On 2nd October 2014, a powerful bomb accidentally went off at the first floor of a rented house in Khagragarh locality of Burdwan, West Bengal. Two terrorists, who were fabricating the bomb succumbed to the injuries. While the case was initially probed by West Bengal police, the same was later taken over by NIA on 10th October, 2014.
Further investigation revealed how it was the conspiracy of Bangladesh-based terror group JMB to radicalise and recruit members and train them in using arms and explosives to commit acts of terrorism in India and wage a war against India. Further, a large number of IEDs, explosives, hand grenades and training material was recovered. Out of the 33 accused, now 31 are arrested.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, soon after the blast, had blamed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the foreign intelligence agency of India, for being behind the blast. She had alleged that she has been central government minister for 23 years, she knows who does what.
She had alleged that the two terrorists were ‘let in’ by the Modi government which had just come to power few months back and ‘found them a house’ and ‘allowed them to make explosives’. She had alleged that the Central government had done so to start a riot during the Pujo.
Experts had then believed that Mamata Banerjee’s statement could be used by the accused as a shield.