15 sentenced to varying terms in terror-funding case

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, May 23

The NIA special court in Guwahati on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to two former militant leaders and a prominent politician in the Rs 1,000-crore scam and terror funding case in North Cachar Hils Autonomous Council (NCHAC), now Dima Hasao Autonomous Council of Assam.

It also handed jail terms along with fine to 12 others, including government officials accused in the case.

The NIA special judge handed life imprisonment to Jewel Garlosa, ‘chairman’ of militant outfit Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) which is now engaged in peace talks with the Centre, commander-in-chief of the DHD (J) Niranjan Hojai and former chief executive member of NCHAC Mohet Hojai, according to NIA counsel Dilip Das.

Mohet Hojai who was arrested on May 30, 2009 has been lodged in jail, while militant leaders — Jewel Garlosa and Niranjan Hojai — are out on bail. Both of them are now elected members of the autonomous council in Dima Hasao (erstwhile NCHAC). Hojai is an elected member from the BJP.

Das said 15 persons were convicted in NIA case for siphoning off government funds for terrorist activities in two NIA cases. 

These were the first two cases entrusted to the NIA, after its formation in 2009.

The rest of the accused were handed jail terms ranging from 8 to 12 years besides fine.

The others convicted in the case included a member of the autonomous Council, Golon Daulaguphu; three government employees — RH Khan, then deputy director of social welfare department; Karuna Saikia, a former chief engineer and Jibangsu Paul — one DHD (J) militant Ashringdao Warissa, four contractors Phojendra Hojai, Jayanta Ghosh, Babul Kemprai, Sandeep Gaosh and Debashis Bhattacharrya; hawala operator Malsawmkimi, and arms smuggler Vanlalchana.

One of accused Samir Ahmed had earlier pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years of imprisonment.

The two NIA cases were registered in 2009 under Sections 120B, 121, 121A of the IPC and Sections 25 (1B) (A) of the Arms Act, on the allegation of huge amounts of money being siphoned off from the development funds allotted to the NC Hills Council, in connivance with the contractors and other government emeployees and sent to the DHD (J), a terrorist outfit, for procurement of arms and ammunition.

During investigation a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including eight M-16 rifles made in Singapore, one 9 mm pistol (Baretta), 12 walkie-talkie sets and one telescope, was recovered from Mizoram.

Another huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered by the Assam Police. This included 29 AK 47/AK 56 rifles, five M-16 rifles, three SLRs and other weapons. A total amount of Rs 1.32 crore was recovered in the two cases.