Bengaluru, July 15 -- A Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Bengaluru has sentenced Mohammed Hanif Khan, a key accused in the Al-Hind terror conspiracy case, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 48,000. Hanif is the first accused to be convicted in the case, while trials against the remaining accused are continuing.

The NIA has filed charge sheets against 20 accused in connection with the conspiracy, all of whom are currently in judicial custody. According to investigators, the accused were part of a network inspired by the banned terrorist organisation ISIS (Daesh) and allegedly planned to establish its operational base in South India.

The agency alleged that Hanif participated in rec...