The Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sentenced Rajakbhai Kumbhar, the second key accused in a Pakistan-backed espionage case involving Indian defence intelligence, to six years of rigorous imprisonment, officials announced on Wednesday. Kumbhar, from West Kutch district in Gujarat, was convicted under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with a fine.
The court ruled that all sentences would run concurrently, with an additional month of imprisonment for each charge if the fine is not paid.
This follows the earlier conviction of Mohammad Rashid from Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh, by the same NIA Special Court. The case, initially registered by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, involved allegations that Rashid had been in contact with Pakistani defence and ISI agents. Rashid had supplied photographs of sensitive and strategically important locations, as well as Indian Army movements, to Pakistan. The photographs, including images of defence insignia, were taken on his mobile phone.
The NIA took over the case in April 2020, filing a charge sheet against Rashid in July 2020, followed by a supplementary charge sheet against Rajakbhai Kumbhar in February 2021. Investigations revealed that Kumbhar had conspired with Rashid and Pakistan-based ISI agents to carry out acts of terrorism and other preparatory activities.
The investigation further confirmed that Kumbhar and Rashid had worked together to conceal the anti-India operations orchestrated by Pakistan-based operatives. The charge sheet detailed that Kumbhar had provided financial assistance to Rashid in exchange for the sensitive photographs, which were subsequently sent to ISI agents.
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