KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Kochi has convicted three accused after they admitted to their role in the sensational 2005 Kalamassery bus torching case. The court will pronounce the quantum of sentence on Monday.
Thadiyantavida Nazeer, alias Ummer Haji, alias Haji, of Thayyil, Kannur; Sabir Buhari of Perumbavoor; and Thajudin of North Paravoor admitted their guilt when the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus torching case was considered by the court on Wednesday.
Following this, the court convicted them under IPC Sections 120(B) for conspiracy and 121A for conspiracy to wage war against the country, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act Section 16(1)(a) for a terrorist act and Section 18 for conspiring to commit a terrorist act. Last year, the ninth accused, Anoop K A, had also admitted in the court his role in the crime after which he was sentenced to six years imprisonment.
Nazeer, Sabir and Thajudin are currently facing trial in the Bengaluru blast case. Nazeer was convicted in multiple terrorism cases in the state including recruitment of youngsters for terrorist activities in Kashmir. There were 14 accused persons in the bus torching case including Sofia Madani, wife of PDP supremo Abdul Nazar Madani. Abdul Rahim, 12th accused, was killed in Kashmir. Mohammed Sabir who is the 14th accused in the case has left the country and NIA claims that he is in Pakistan.
On September 9, 2005, a TNSTC bus was burnt in retaliation to PDP leader Madani’s prolonged detention in the Coimbatore blast case. A six-member group led by Nazeer boarded the TNSTC bus from the KSRTC Ernakulam bus station. When the bus reached the Kalamassery municipal office, one of the accused pointed a gun at the driver and asked him to divert the bus towards Popemala, a lonely place in Kalamassery. When the bus reached the place, they asked the passengers to get down and set the bus on fire. One of the accused, Shafeeq, had turned approver in the case.