A Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Guwahati on Tuesday convicted Md. Kamruj Zaman, also known as Dr Hurairah and Kamaruddin, and sentenced him to concurrent prison terms, the longest of which is life imprisonment. The ruling follows a probe into efforts to establish a module of the banned Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in Assam during 2017-18.
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen conviction details
The court found Kamruj Zaman guilty under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which attracted the life sentence. Additional convictions were recorded under Section 18B of the UAPA read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 38 of the UAPA, each carrying five years of simple imprisonment. The court imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 in each of the three matters and ordered an extra three months’ simple imprisonment in case of default on payment.
Case RC 08/2018/NIA-GUW was registered at Jamunamukh in Hojai district. According to the NIA, Kamruj Zaman hatched a conspiracy to recruit and organise a network for the Pakistan-based Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in Assam between 2017 and 2018. The agency named Sahnawaz Alom, Saidul Alam and Omar Faruk among those recruited as part of the plan. A fifth accused, Jaynal Uddin, died of illness while the trial was under way.
The NIA arrested Kamruj Zaman in 2018 after an extensive probe by central agencies and filed a charge sheet in March 2019 against five accused. During the trial, three co-accused pleaded guilty and were convicted. The agency said the activities were intended to expand the footprint of the Pakistan-based outfit in India’s northeast.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Kamruj Zaman actively worked to establish and strengthen extremist networks in Assam on behalf of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. The verdict reflects the prosecution’s case that the accused’s actions posed a threat to internal security and communal harmony in the region.
Security officials said the conviction will serve as a deterrent to those who seek to radicalise and recruit locally for transnational terrorist organisations. The NIA highlighted the importance of coordinated intelligence-gathering and investigative work in dismantling nascent modules before they can entrench themselves.
The sentencing closes a chapter in a case examined over several years but does not end law enforcement attention on extremist activity in the northeast. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to sustained vigilance and to pursuing both active conspirators and those who support them at local and transnational levels.
Legal experts note that concurrent sentences mean the longest term will govern the period of incarceration. The imposition of fines and additional terms for default underline the court’s aim to apply the full range of penalties available under the UAPA and the IPC where convictions are secured.
The NIA statement said the conviction demonstrates central agencies’ continued focus on preventing the spread of banned organisations in vulnerable areas. Community policing, local engagement and timely intelligence will remain central to efforts to protect the region from extremist influence.
Key Takeaways:
- The NIA convicted Md. Kamruj Zaman for plotting to set up a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen module in Assam.
- The court imposed concurrent sentences including life imprisonment under the UAPA; fines were also levied.
- The investigation revealed recruitment of several associates to expand the Pakistan-based outfit’s footprint in the Northeast.
- The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen conviction highlights sustained central agency efforts to disrupt extremist networks.
