The Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court will pronounce the quantum of sentence for 12 convicts in the Aurangabad arms haul case on August 2.
On July 28, the court acquitted eight accused and convicted 12 for possessing 30 kg of RDX hidden in the CPU of a computer, 10 AK-47 assault rifles and 3,200 rounds of ammunition.
While arguing the quantum of sentencing for 26/11 attack handler Abu Jundal and 11 others convicted in the case, the prosecution sought maximum punishment. Judge S.L. Anekar said after the 2002 Gujarat riots, there was a conspiracy to eliminate then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia. The court acquitted Firoz Deshmukh, who worked at controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation.
Plea for leniency
On July 29, the defence pleaded for leniency for the convicts including Jundal, who is currently lodged in Arthur Road jail for his conviction in the Mumbai attack.
Lawyers for the defendents said there was a possibility of their reformation and that they should be awarded the minimum sentence possible for their role in the arms haul case.
They also said the main conspirators were Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives, who were absconding.
On July 30, Special Public Prosecutor Vaibhav Bagade sought life imprisonment for Jundal and two other convicts. He said considering the arms and explosives seized, their use would have caused great losses to the country.
Rejecting the defence’s argument, Mr. Bagade said the court should consider the motive and its implications on society while awarding the sentence.
He said every link is established and their active participation in procuring the arms and ammunition and its distribution has been proved by the prosecution.
