On Thursday, 28th November, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Maharashtra’s Mumbai convicted 3 Bangladeshi infiltrators to five years in prison for sheltering terrorists of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a Bangladesh-based terrorist organization affiliated with Al-Qaeda. The convicted persons were additionally fined Rs 2,000 each under the appropriate sections of the Penal Code (IPC) and the Foreigners Act.
As per the release by NIA, the accused persons have been identified as Mohammed Habibur Rehman Habib (alias Raj Jesub Mandal), Hannan Anwar Hussain Khan (alias Hannan Baburali Gazi), and Mohd Azarali Subhanallah (alias Raja Jesub Mandal). These three were found guilty of supporting and aiding ABT terrorists and illegally residing in Pune using forged Indian identity cards.
NIA Mumbai Court Sends 3 more B’Deshis to Jail for Harbouring ABT Terrorists, Taking total Convictions to 5 pic.twitter.com/m7wr5y8mQr
— NIA India (@NIA_India) November 28, 2024
This notably takes the number of convictions in the case to five. Previously, in October 2023, two more Bangladeshi citizens, Ripen Hussain (alias Rubel) and Mohmmad Hasan Ali Mohammad Amer Ali, had been sentenced to five years of imprisonment.
The investigation began in March 2018, when Pune police acquired information about Bangladeshi infiltrators living illegally in the city and helping ABT terrorists. Mohammed Habibur Rehman Habib was originally captured in Dhobighat, Bhairoba Nala, Pune, triggering the arrest of four others.
The NIA, which took over the case in May 2018, discovered that all five accused entered India unlawfully and fraudulently, obtaining Indian identification documents such as PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and ration cards using forged credentials. These forged documents were further used to obtain SIM cards, open bank accounts, and secure employment in India.
According to NIA searches, the accused not only exploited these resources for personal gain, but also protected and sponsored other ABT terrorists, including key member Samad Mia (alias Tanvir, Saiful, Tushar Biswas, or Tusar). ABT is a front organization for the banned terror group Al-Qaeda, which is known for its actions in South Asia.
The convictions are a big step toward combating illegal infiltration and terrorist activities in India. NIA officials meanwhile reaffirmed their determination to taking strict action against those who help terrorist organizations and endanger national security.
