The special Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) court on Thursday acquitted two Kashmiri men who were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) for alleged links with terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, after the agency failed to produce sufficient evidence to prove its case.
However, the court convicted the two under the Arms Act and sentenced them to three years' imprisonment. But they were released after the court took into account the time they had already spent behind bars during the trial. They were fined Rs 1,000 each.
The prosecution's case dates back to November 2010, when the Maharashtra ATS had arrested Sharif Thakkar and Mohammed Kumlakh, after the agency received a tip-off about a meeting between the two in Thane's Kapurbawdi area. According to the police, the two were associated with the LeT. They accordingly laid a trap and nabbed the two. They were found in possession of simple guns. The ATS had claimed that according to preliminary investigation, the two youths were on a mission to recruit two more LeT members and would send them to Pakistan for training in terror activities. The agency had also said that the two were in Mumbai to recce potential blast sites.
The Lashkar suspects were also in constant touch with an alleged terrorist named 'Kara', lodged in a Kashmir prison, and were sketching terror plots in the city, claimed the ATS.
Advocates appearing on behalf of the suspects argued that at no point of time did the agency have evidence to prove any of its claims.
Thakkar, one of the terror suspects, told dna, "My entire family is in the military and police in Kashmir. How can I even think of betraying my own country? The ATS has ruined four years of our lives."
Advocate Shariff Sheikh, who appeared on behalf of Thakkar, said he would file an appeal before the Bombay high court against their conviction under the Arms Act.
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