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A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sentenced the second key accused in a Pakistan-backed Indian defence espionage case. Rajakbhai Kumbhar of West Kachchh district of Gujarat is the second accused to be convicted in the case by Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow-based court. Kumbhar has been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment under difference provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with a maximum sentence of six years, along with a fine.
"All the sentences will run concurrently and one month of imprisonment will get added for each charge in the case of default in payment of fine," the NIA said in a statement. Earlier, the NIA special court had sentenced accused Md Rashid of Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli district in the case, which was originally registered by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, alleging that Rashid was in contact with defence and ISI agents of Pakistan. The ATS had charged Rashid with providing the Pak agents with photographs of sensitive, tactically and strategically important locations in India, as well as Indian Army movements. These photographs, including those of defence insignia, were clicked from his mobile. NIA, which took over the case in April 2020, chargesheeted Rashid in July 2020 and subsequently filed a supplementary chargesheet against Rajakbhai Kumbhar in February 2021. The agency's investigations revealed that Rajakbhai had conspired with Rashid and Pakistan-based ISI agents to carry out terrorist acts, as well as acts preparatory to their commission. "They had also conspired to conceal the nefarious anti-India design perpetrated by Pakistan-based operatives." "Rajakbhai had facilitated Rashid by providing funds in exchange for the sensitive photographs, which Rashid had sent to ISI agents," added the agency. (ANI)
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