IISc attack case: SC seeks NIA report on plea by convicts

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a report on a plea by four people challenging their conviction and sentence of life term in the 2005 IISc, Bengaluru, attack case. A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao told Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni to furnish a report on behalf of the NIA within four weeks as the convicts claimed they are not associated with any proscribed terror organisation.

The convicts are Mohammed Razhur Rehman alias Umesh, a native of Nalgonda in Telangana, Afsar Pasha alias Basheeruddin, a resident of Lakkasandra in Bengaluru, Mohammed Irfan of Mulbagal in Kolar district and Nazimuddin alias Munna from Chintamani in Chikkaballapur district.

The convicts were awarded life term for the offence of conspiracy to wage war on the country, among others. The Bengaluru police claimed all of them belonged to the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.

In their appeal filed by advocate Farrukh Rasheed, the petitioners contended the HC as well as the trial court had categorically found no evidence to hold them guilty of the offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Among other grounds, they submitted that the police had failed to provide any material to connect them to the banned organisation, except the statements recorded by them, which could not be relied upon as evidence.

After issuing notice to the Karnataka government on their appeal on October 21 last, the court had earlier sought a report from the government, represented by Additional Advocate General Devdutt Kamat, over their mental condition to ascertain if they belonged to any radical organisation.