Patna NIA court convicts 9 in 2013 Hunkar rally blast case

Patna, Oct 27 (IANS) The Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court of Patna on Wednesday held 9 accused guilty of bomb blast during the NDA Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rally in Gandhi Maidan in 2013.

Narendra Modi came to Patna to address a gathering for the 2014 parliamentary elections. The Hunkar rally was organized in Patna's iconic Gandhi Maidan on October 27, 2013. While he was addressing the rally, serial bombs were exploded in which 6 persons died and over 80 were injured.

Initially, the case was probed by Patna police but was later taken over by the NIA. The premier investigating agency had booked 10 persons involved in the serial blasts and 9 of them were held guilty by the special court on Wednesday. The quantum of punishment will be announced on November 1.

The nine persons who were held guilty are -- Imtiaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Nawaj Ansari, Muzmullah, Umer Siddiqi, Azher Kuresi, Ahmad Hussain, Feroz Aslam and Aftikhar Alam. Another accused Faqeuddin was acquitted by the court due to lack of evidence. All those accused are suspected members of Indian Mujahideen and Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The accused detonated 7 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) while 10 others did not explode.

The NIA recorded the statements of over 250 witnesses in the case since it had taken over the probe from Bihar Police on November 6, 2013. All the convicts are currently lodged in Patna's Beur jail.