19, including 4 Bangladeshis, plead guilty in 2014 Burdwan blast case

The chief judge wanted to pronounce the quantum of punishment shortly after the admission of guilt by the 19 accused, but their lawyers appealed the court seeking time for two days.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

Total 19 accused out of 31, who were booked in connection with Burdwan blast case in 2014, pled guilty in the chief judge of city sessions court, Kolkata, on Wednesday. The chief judge, Siddhartha Kanjilal, said he would pronounce the quantum of punishment on August 30.

The 19 accused, including four Bangladeshi citizens, had told the court on August 12 that they wanted to admit their involvement in the blast and they submitted a written statement on Wednesday.

The chief judge wanted to pronounce the quantum of punishment shortly after the admission of guilt by the accused, but their lawyers appealed the court seeking time for two days.

The blast at East Burdwan's Khagragarh in West Bengal took place in October 2014 killed two people. Investigations by the NIA revealed the hands of Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) behind the explosion. 

Activities of the JMB, an outlawed terror outfit headquartered in Bangladesh, in West Bengal emerged first time after the blast. The NIA said in a statement, "The investigation by NIA revealed a conspiracy by JMB (Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh) to radicalise, recruit and provide training in arms and explosives to its members in India as well as to commit terrorist acts and wage war against the democratically established Governments of India and Bangladesh."

The accused were booked under severe IPC sections 2 which include waging war against the state and explosive act.

The trial for rest 11 accused will continue.

With inputs from PTI

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