New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS): A special NIA court in Bengaluru has awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment to four members of the proscribed outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in a case pertaining to the seizure of large quantities of electrical and electronics items, tools, chemical apparatus, containers used for fabrication of bombs and IEDs from the hideout of the JMB operatives.

Initially, the case was registered on July 7, 2019 by the Karnataka Police at the Soladevanahalli police station in Bengaluru. Later, the probe was taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Later, four cases related to dacoity committed by the accused persons were re-registered by the NIA and merged with the case in 2020.

After completion of investigations, a chargesheet was filed in all these dacoity cases. For the trial, these four cases were clubbed into one.

The court awarded the jail term to the accused -- Kador Kazi alias Mijanur Rahaman, Mustafizur Rahman alias Tuhin, Adil Sheikh alias Asadullah, and Abdul Karim alias Korim -- for committing offences punishable under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and Arms Act.

The court also imposed fines on them.

"Our investigations established that the accused had raised funds by committing dacoity at various places in Bengaluru with the intention of furthering the activities of JMB in India. They had also collected explosive materials and test fired a rocket launcher for commission of terror acts.

"The proceeds of crime in the form of gold was sold by the accused for raising funds for carrying out terror activities. Eleven accused have been arrested and chargesheeted so far, while three of them were convicted earlier," the NIA said.