New Delhi: A court here Friday awarded five year jail terms to two men, who had supplied hawala money to the alleged mastermind of 2005 Delhi Diwali-eve serial blasts.
Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash passed sentence on Gulam Ahmed Khan and Farooque Ahmed Batloo, who pleaded guilty.
Khan and Batloo were facing trial in the case with Tariq Ahmed Dar, the alleged mastermind. Police contended that both of the accused had allegedly supplied around Rs.30 lakh to Dar through the hawala channel for carrying out the blasts.
Khan and Batloo on March 18 had pleaded guilty. The court then convicted them for the offences punishable under Sections 17 (for raising fund for terror strikes) and 18 (conspiracy) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after recording their statement in the case.
Both of the accused had prayed for leniency in sentence.
The court will continue its case against Dar.
The prime accused in the 2005 Diwali-eve blasts case, he is also being tried in a separate case related to it. Apart from Dar, four other accused were also booked in the blasts case and facing trial for offences,including murder and waging war against the nation.
Dar, the alleged mastermind behind the bomb explosions at three different places in the capital was arrested Nov 10, 2005.
The serial blasts at three different places — Sarojini Nagar, Paharganj and Kalkaji — Oct 29, 2005 killed over 60 people and left over 225 injured.
Dar’s associates Mohammed Rafiq Shah and Mohammed Hussain Fazili were charged with similar offences, including procuring explosives to carry out blasts, receiving funds to commit terrorist acts and attempt to murder.