Lucknow NIA Special court sentences 3 Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists to life imprisonment

April 14, 2026

Lucknow: In a major case related to a terror conspiracy, an NIA/ATS Special Court in Lucknow has sentenced three terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda to life imprisonment.

The convicts Minhaj, Masruddin, and Tauheed — were associated with the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind module, officials said on Monday.

According to the case details, on July 11, 2021, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested Minhaj from the Dubagga area. Based on his disclosure, Masruddin and Tauheed were subsequently apprehended. According to officials, a cooker bomb was recovered from Minhaj’s residence, while explosive materials and a pistol were seized from the other accused.

Investigating agencies said that the trio was planning serial blasts in Uttar Pradesh around August 15, 2021. They were also allegedly preparing for a major attack using a human bomb.

During interrogation, it emerged that the accused were acting on the instructions of Umar Halmandi, a handler of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, who was actively involved in recruitment and strengthening the terror network in India. Agencies further stated that the conspiracy was aimed at spreading unrest in the state and across the country following the Ram Mandir verdict.

The arrests took place based on information shared by one Al-Qaeda member, Umar Halmandi, who had himself identified and recruited some persons in Lucknow for raising the Al-Qaeda module in the region.

He had further informed the police about the Al Qaeda affiliate ‘Ansaar Gajwatul Hind’ (AGH), an outfit raised to carry out a series of terrorist acts before August 15, 2021, in various cities of UP, especially Lucknow.

In November, a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) convicted two more accused, sending them to jail for a period of 20 months in the Al-Qaeda terror conspiracy case linked to Al Qaeda.

Mohd. Mustaqueem and Shakeel, both residents of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), were convicted by the NIA court under section 25 (1B) (a) of the Arms Act, read with section 120B of the IPC. The Special Court at Lucknow sentenced the duo to 20 months’ imprisonment. A fine of Rs. 5000 each has also been imposed against them.