NIA court gives life terms to Ansar Ghazwatul Hind operatives over Uttar Pradesh attack plot

A special National Investigation Agency court sentenced three Ansar Ghazwatul Hind operatives to life imprisonment for conspiring to wage war against the Government of India and planning terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh. Prosecutors said the plot involved recruitment, weapons and explosives, and proposed blasts in crowded areas and sensitive sites, including Lucknow.

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court sentenced three alleged Ansar Ghazwatul Hind operatives to life imprisonment on Monday. Officials said the court held the group guilty of plotting to wage war against the government of India. The accused were also found to have planned terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh, with Lucknow mentioned as a key focus.

Officials identified the convicts as Mushiruddin, Minhaz and Tauheed. Special Judge NIA Jainendra Kumar Pandey also ordered fines, officials said. Minhaz and Mushiruddin were fined Rs 1.42 lakh each. Tauheed was fined Rs 85,000. The prosecution said the conspiracy involved recruitment, weapons collection, and preparations for bomb attacks.

NIA court verdict on Ansar Ghazwatul Hind planning in Uttar Pradesh

According to the prosecution, the accused aimed to strike crowded locations and sensitive installations across the state. Officials said investigators tied the plans closely to Lucknow. The case record described efforts to gather arms, store explosives, and assemble devices. Prosecutors said the activity was part of a wider network linked to an Al Qaeda affiliate.

Special Public Prosecutor M K Singh said the case began with an ATS report filed by Inspector Sushil Kumar Singh on July 11, 2021. The report followed intelligence about recruitment attempts. The inputs referred to an Al Qaeda operative based in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. Prosecutors said the operative sought to build a local team for attacks in India.

Ansar Ghazwatul Hind recruitment and online contact in NIA investigation

The investigation found that Minhaz was approached online and later worked with others to recruit young people, the prosecution said. Prosecutors alleged Mushiruddin was brought in to carry out attacks in Uttar Pradesh. The accused also carried out checks of possible targets, M K Singh said. Officials said these steps supported the charge of conspiracy.

On July 11, 2021, the ATS searched Minhazs home in the Dubagga-Kakori area of Lucknow, the prosecution said. Investigators recovered explosives, an illegal pistol, live cartridges and an improvised explosive device. Officials said the recovery led to the arrest of Minhaz and Mushiruddin. The seized items were cited as key evidence in court.

Ansar Ghazwatul Hind blast plan for August 15, 2021, and NIA evidence

Prosecutors said the group planned blasts on August 15, 2021. The plan was allegedly framed as a reaction to the Ram Mandir verdict. Officials said crowded places and sensitive sites were marked as targets. During the probe, other names surfaced, including Mohammad Moeed, Shakeel and Mohammad Mustaqeem, officials added.

Given the seriousness of the allegations, the inquiry was later transferred to the NIA, officials said. The agency filed a supplementary chargesheet on July 29, 2021, after further investigation. The NIA examined 42 witnesses and submitted 149 documents. It also produced 109 material exhibits to back the charges before the court.

Officials said the court order covered only Mushiruddin, Minhaz and Tauheed in this stage of the case. Proceedings against the remaining accused are still going on. Investigators and prosecutors are continuing to place material before the court as required. The case remains linked to claims of planned attacks and recruitment activity in Uttar Pradesh.

With inputs from PTI