New Delhi: A Delhi court sentenced to 10 years imprisonment three Manipur natives for possessing explosives but rejected the charge of the Delhi police that they had nexus with Pakistan-based Laskar-e-Toiba (LeT) which had planned to execute blasts here.
Salman Khurshi Kori, Abdur Rehman, and Mohammed Akbar Hussein, all residents of Imphal, were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on the intervening night of December 18-19, 2006 from near Red Fort on the basis of information received during interrogation of two Lashkar operatives Mohammed Alamgir Roni and Abdur Razzaq. Police had recovered explosives, hand grenades, detonators and clay like explosive material from their possession and claimed they had acquired the consignment of explosives from Jammu and Kashmir and had come to Delhi to execute blasts.
However, the court found the prosecution had failed to support its allegation that the Manipuri residents were LeT operatives and their mental intent to commit blasts in the national capital.
It also said no recovery was made by the police based on the disclosure statements which could lend weight to the claim that the trio had immediate nexus to carry out blasts. While holding them guilty for illegally possessing explosive materials, Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kapoor said it was a pointer towards some act of destruction. "Mere possession of explosive substances cannot tantamount to be a threat to the unity, integrity, security or sovereignity of India or to strike terror in people or any section of people in India. PTI