4 Patna serial blast convicts given the death penalty
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A special NIA court in Patna sentenced four of the nine people held guilty for the 2013 Patna serial blasts to death. Nine of the ten accused were convicted of the crime by the special National Investigation Agency court on October 27. The series of bomb blasts were conducted during the then NDA Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's 'Hunkar Rally' in Gandhi Maidan on October 27, 2013.
Two of the remaining convicts have been given a life sentence, two others 10 years imprisonment and one 7 years of imprisonment. The special judge of the NIA court, Gurvinder Singh Malhotra, announced the punishment. The case was transferred to the NIA on November 6, 2013.
The four sentenced to death are Imtiaz Ansari, Haider Ali alias Black Beauty, Noman Ansari and Muzibullah Ansari. While Umar Sidiqqi and Azaharuddin Kuresi have been sentenced to life imprisonment, Ahmed Hussain and Feroz Aslam were awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment, and Iftikhar Alam has been given a 7-year jail term. The NIA had levelled charges of sedition, criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder and UAPA against the accused. The court concluded that the charges had been proven.
Modi had come to Patna to address a rally ahead of the 2014 parliamentary elections. Serial bombs exploded in the Gandhi Maidan and the Patna railway station as he was addressing the rally. Six died and over 89 were injured.
Faqeuddin, one among the accused, was acquitted for lack of evidence. The convicts had detonated 7 Improvised Explosive Devices. 10 others did not explode at the rally venue. All the convicts are currently lodged in Beur jail, Patna.
