Wagamon SIMI camp case: Seven-year rigorous imprisonment for 18

In what could be seen as a setback for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), its special court in Kochi on Tuesday awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) to 18 accused and set off their

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KOCHI:In what could be seen as a setback for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), its special court in Kochi on Tuesday awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) to 18 accused and set off their remand period in the 2007 Wagamon SIMI camp case at a time when most of them have completed nine years in custody.

However, since the accused are facing trial in the Ahmedabad serial blast case, they won’t be set free now.
Owing to issues in connecting the video conferencing system with the Bengaluru jail, the proceeding to announce the verdict was delayed by half an hour.By noon, National Investigation Agency judge Kausar Edapagath - his last day as judge after he was promoted in the Ernakulam Principal Session Court recently - announced the verdict.

“The punishment to be prescribed should have nexus with the gravity of the crime committed.The penological objective of deterrence and reformation also have to be considered,” Kausar Edapagath said in his verdict.

The secret camp by the banned Islamist organisation Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was held from December 10 to 12, 2007 at Thangalpara in Wagamon in Idukki district as a prelude to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts.

Investigations had revealed the participants were imparted training in handling arms, manufacture of petrol bombs, motorbike racing and rope climbing. The court had on Monday acquitted 17 accused in the case. As many as 35 accused faced the trial that commenced on January 2017.