A Kolkata sessions court has sentenced five Bangladeshi nationals to life imprisonment in a terror conspiracy case dating back to 2016. The individuals were found guilty of conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks in India, waging war against the country, and possessing fake Indian documents.

The convicted individuals are Anwar Hossain Faruque, Md Rubel, Maulana Yusuf Sk, Md Sahidul Islam, and Jabirul Islam. They were arrested in September 2016 by the Kolkata Special Task Force (STF). All six were suspected to be members of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a banned terror outfit. Abdul Kalam, another accused, was discharged due to lack of evidence.

The case originated from intelligence inputs regarding the illegal entry of the six men into India through the India-Bangladesh border in North 24 Parganas. Authorities alleged that they were planning bomb blasts in various parts of India, including the northeastern and southern states.

The court delivered the sentence under sections 120B, 121, 121A, 122, 123, and 124A, pertaining to waging war against the nation. They were also penalized under the Foreigners Act and the Explosive Substances Act. Maulana Yusuf Sk received an additional life sentence under Section 121A for his involvement in the planned subversive activities, and all the convicted received penalties under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act for illegally residing in India.

The 2016 arrests followed an STF operation that intercepted the JMB suspects after they crossed the border into India. JMB has been implicated in numerous terror activities in Bangladesh and is known to have a presence in parts of India.

This verdict comes amid ongoing concerns about cross-border terrorism and illegal immigration. Law enforcement agencies have been vigilant in monitoring and curbing the activities of terror groups operating in the region. The sentencing highlights the commitment of the Indian judiciary to address threats to national security and prosecute those involved in terror-related activities.