The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a chargesheet against three persons at a designated court in Patna in connection with the case relating to recovery and explosion of IEDs at Bodh Gaya Temple Complex, Bihar in January this year.
The three persons have been chargesheeted for their involvement in terrorist act of planting three IEDs in and around Bodh Gaya temple complex on January 19. The chargesheeted accused include Paigambar Sheikh alias Abdul Aziz, Ahmad Ali alias Kalu and Nur Alam Momin, all residents of Murshidabad district of West Bengal. They have been chargesheeted under various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act besides the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
The case was initially registered by the Bihar Police following information that some suspicious objects were lying near the Kalchakra Maidan, Bodhgaya under a generator set. The police secured the site and during the search of the whole premises two more live IEDs were recovered. Later on, the case was taken over by the NIA.
NIA probe has also revealed the involvement of accused Jahidul Islam alias Kausar of Jamalpur, Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman alias Shaheen of Birbhum, West Bengal, Adil Sheikh and Abdul Karim of Murshidabad besides Arif Hussain of Barpeta, Assam. Four of these accused persons were arrested in August 2018 while accused Arif Hussain is still absconding.
"Investigation brought out that accused Jahildul Islam is a senior member of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), Bangladesh and Mustafizur Rahman is his close confidant. Accused Paigambar Sheikh, Ahmad Ali, Nur Alam, Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain, Abdul Karim and Arif Hussain are all members of JMB. Accused Jahidul Islam alias Kausar and Mustafizur Rahman entered into a conspiracy with their other associates to carry out terror incidents in India by way of planting IEDs and carrying out explosions at symbols of Buddhist faith in order to show solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims fighting with Myanmar Government and to cause loss to public life and property, to wage war against Government of India and to overawe the Government of India," the NIA said in its chargesheet.
The NIA further said, "In furtherance of the conspiracy, the accused persons contacted and assembled together at various places, took hideouts at Jahanabad and Masaurhi in Bihar, carried out reconnaissance of the targets at Bodh Gaya and procured explosives and other materials for manufacture of the IED."
Accused Jahidul Islam with the help of other co-accused made three IEDs and two hand grenades. The IEDs were planted by Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain and Arif Hussain in the premises of Bodh Gaya temple complex on January 19 in order to cause loss to public life and property during the presence of the Dalai Lama and also during the visit of Bihar Governor at Bodh Gaya. These acts constitute committing a terrorist act, the agency added.