Kochi, August 13: The Ernakulam NIA court awarded life imprisonment on Friday to Lashkar-e-Taiba member Thadiyantavide Naseer, prime accused in the Kozhikode twin blasts case, and Shafaz, his accomplice and the fourth accused.
Judge S. Vijayakumar gave three life terms to Naseer, chief conspirator, for offences under sections 18 and 16 (i) of Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAP) Act and section 4 (b) of Explosive Substances Act and under section 124 (A) (sedition) of IPC.
The court gave a double life term to Shafaz under UAP Act and section 124 (A) of IPC. It also imposed a fine of Rs 1.6 lakh on Naseer and Rs 1.1 lakh on Shafaz. The sentences shall run concurrently.
The court had pronounced the duo guilty on Thursday while acquitting the third accused Abdul Haleem and ninth accused Chettipadi Yousuf.
“The duo deserves such punishment as to help them realise the grave nature of their acts and its consequences as also as a warning to others,” said the court.
Naseer and Shafaz had earlier submitted that they had families to look after. They also sought permission to maintain beards as a mark of religious practice, which the court permitted.
The court directed the jail authorities to provide the accused with physical labour and give them vocational training.
It further directed the authorities to provide them biographies and autobiographies of freedom fighters.