Agartala, May 25 (IANS): A court in Tripura Monday sentenced a Bangladeshi arms dealer, arrested for his suspected links with terrorists in March 2008, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for forging documents relating to his identity.

Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Tridib Chandra Roy Bhowmik sentenced Mamun Mian, 49, and also imposed a fine of Rs.100,000. Default in payment will lead to one-and-half years of imprisonment.

The court found Mamun guilty of forging voter's identity card, ration card, PAN card, driving licence and other documents used for identification.

A police official said: "A resident of Pallabin on the outskirts of Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, he entered into India along with two associates in 2007 and was staying here as Suman Majumder with forged documents. Mamun was arrested by the West Bengal police."

Mamun was arrested for his involvement in anti-India activities and trafficking of arms and explosives.

"The West Bengal police in January 2008 arrested two Bangladeshi nationals Shamim Akhtar and Alamgir Hussain in Kolkata with several incriminating documents like maps and details of army camps in north Bengal areas. A case was also registered against them in Kolkata," said the Tripura police official.

"During their interrogation, Shamim and Alamgir revealed they had entered India 2007 and one of their associates Mamun Mian was in Agartala," he added.

Tripura Food and Minority Affairs Minister Sahid Chowdhury had resigned in April 2008 from the cabinet following a controversy over his alleged links with this Bangladeshi arms dealer.