Abu Jundal convicted in Aurangabad arms haul case

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and 26/11 key plotter Abu Jundal and 11 others were convicted on Thursday under 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case by Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act  (MCOCA) court in Mumbai . Rest 10 accused were acquitted by MCOCA court in the case.

In 2006, Maharashtra ATS had seized 30 Kg RDX, 3200 bulltes and 10 rifles and arrested three terror suspects in Aurangabad.  The trial, which had resumed in 2013 after Abu Jundal’s arrest, had concluded in March this year before the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Special Court here.

It pertains to the May 8, 2006 operation by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad in which three terror suspects travelling in a car were nabbed on the Chandwad-Manmad highway near Aurangabad.

The ATS recovered from them 30 kg RDX, 10 AK-47 army assault rifles, 3,200 rounds of



ammuniton and other things, which were reportedly intended for carrying out terror strikes in the country.

Another suspect vehicle managed to give the slip to the ATS. It was believed to have been driven by Abu Jundal who escaped to Pakistan. After Abu Jundal was nabbed in 2013, he revealed to the ATS another hideout from where they recovered 13 kg RDX, 1200 cartridges, 50 hand grenades, 22 magazine rounds.

A total of 22 accused were arrested, including Abu Jundal who is accused plotting the 26/11 terror attacks.

Earlier, the trial had been stayed by Supreme Court after one of the accused had challenged the constitutional validity of certain provisions in the MCOCA invoked on the accused. The stay was lifted in 2009.

In 2013 the ATS filed a charge-sheet against all the accused for plotting various terror strikes since 2006.