Guwahati, Jan 28 (IANS) A special CBI judge here on Monday convicted 14 people, including NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary, in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts in Assam that killed 88 people, saying the quantum of punishment will be pronounced on Wednesday.
Daimary was the main accused in the serial blasts that also left 540 injured. The explosions had ripped through Guwahati's Ganeshguri, Panbazar and Kachari areas as well as Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon districts almost simultaneously.
"Out of the 15 in judicial custody, 14 including Ranjan Daimary were convicted by the court. One of the accused, Mridul Gayari, was acquitted as he was not a member of the outfit," said defence lawyer Manas Sarania.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation's Special Public Prosecutor T.D. Goswami told the media that all 15 were convicted.
The CBI had filed a chargesheet against 22 people in 2009 which also named 650 witnesses and listed 682 documents, including post-mortem reports, confessional statements of those apprehended and details of calls made by some of the accused.
Daimary was arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to Indian authorities in May 2010.
Daimary, also known as D.R. Nabla, formed the Boro Security Force in October 3, 1986 and later changed its name to NDFB or National Democratic Front of Bodoland.
Although the outfit entered a ceasefire agreement with the Indian government in 2005, it often flouted the truce.
The NDFB split in 2008 after the investigating agencies named Daimary as the main mastermind behind the serial blasts.
The group suspended Daimary, who led another faction called NDFB (Ranjan).
Although a total of 14 cases were registered against Daimary in the serial blasts, he was granted bail in 2013 after the CBI submitted a no objection to his conditional bail considering the fact that he was taking part in peace talks with the government.
Meanwhile, Daimary was taken to the judicial custody from the court on Monday evening amid tight security.
"We are going to appeal in the higher court against the verdict," said Daimary as he was taken to jail amid shouts from his supporters "Long live NDFB, Long live Ranjan Daimary".
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