Death sentences on Pak nationals converted to life term by Guj HC

Ahmedabad, Dec 29 (UNI) Gujarat High Court today converted the death sentences, awarded earlier to four Pakistani nationals by a local court, to life terms and seven years rigorous imprisonment for two offences respectively.

The four -- Jamil Haji Jath, Osman Ali Jath, Sachu Ibrahim Jath and Nawab Ali Jath -- had been held guilty by a local court in 2003 on the charges of waging war against the nation and for smuggling RDX into the country. The four were awarded the death sentence for the first offence and 20 years rigorous imprisonment for the second.

The four had been arrested in June 1999 from Harami Nala near Bhuj in Kutch district. All the four are residents of Kati Bandar area of Sindh province in Pakistan.

A two-member bench comprising Justice R P Dholakia and M D Shah today converted the earlier senntence to life terms and seven years RI, to run concurrently, on the two counts.

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