Kolkata Court Hands Down Eight-Year Sentence to JMB Militant for Jail-Break Conspiracy
In a significant ruling, a sessions court in Kolkata has sentenced Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militant Jahidul Islam to eight years of rigorous imprisonment. The conviction stems from his confessed involvement in a plot to orchestrate a jail break while he was being transferred from the Kolkata sessions court to Presidency Jail.
Court Imposes Fine and Additional Penalties
Chief Judge Sukumar Roy of the city sessions court delivered the verdict on Wednesday, finding Islam guilty of the charges. The court imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the militant. In a stern warning, it stipulated that failure to pay this fine would result in an additional one year of imprisonment. Furthermore, the court awarded separate sentences on other counts related to the case. However, in a procedural move, it directed that all sentences be served concurrently, meaning they will run simultaneously rather than consecutively.
Background of the Accused and Previous Convictions
Jahidul Islam, who also goes by the aliases Kausar and ‘Bomb Mizan’, is a notorious figure in militant circles. He served as the former operations chief of the JMB in India. Islam is already incarcerated, serving a substantial 29-year sentence in connection with the Khagragarh explosion case. That incident involved an accidental blast at a suspected bomb-making unit in 2014, which inadvertently exposed a wider network linked to the JMB operating within the country.
Details of the Jail-Break Case and Investigation
The latest conviction pertains to a distinct case that was registered by the Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF). This investigation was initiated after intelligence agencies received credible information indicating a planned prison-break attempt. The STF acted swiftly on this tip-off, leading to the filing of a comprehensive charge sheet in February 2019. This document named Islam and ten other co-accused individuals, charging them with a range of serious offenses. These charges included criminal conspiracy, sedition, and possession of explosives, among others, highlighting the gravity of the alleged plot.
The court’s decision underscores the ongoing efforts by Indian authorities to dismantle militant networks and prevent security breaches within the judicial and prison systems. This case also reflects the meticulous work of the Kolkata Police STF in acting on intelligence to thwart potential threats. With Islam already serving a lengthy sentence, this additional conviction reinforces the legal consequences for those involved in terrorist activities and plots against the state.
