HYDERABAD: Five senior operatives of banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen were on Monday awarded death penalty by a special NIA court+ here in the February 2013 Hyderabad blasts case.
This is the first case that any operative of the IM has been convicted+ .
On December 13, the court convicted the five members, including IM co-founder Mohd Ahmed Sidibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal, Pakistani national Zia-ur-Rahman alias Waqas, Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, Tahaseen Akhtar alias Monu and Ajaz Shaikh, who are at present in judicial custody and lodged in the Cherlapally Central Prison here.
Eighteen people were killed and 131 injured in two deadly explosions in Dilsukhnagar, a crowded shopping area in the city, on February 21, 2013.
On November 7, the final arguments had concluded in the case before the NIA special court.
Since IM founder Riyaz Bhatkal+ , the prime accused in the case, is absconding, the trial was split up against him.
The court convicted Yasin Bhatkal and others under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The NIA special court, after hearing the defence and prosecution's arguments, pronounced the quantum of sentence.
According to NIA, Riyaz Bhatkal arranged for explosive substances and directed Asadullah Akhtar and Zia-ur-Rahman at Mangalore to receive the same.

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