Khadim case: Ansari gets life

Roy Burman was abducted from Tiljala near his factory on July 23,2001 and confined in a house in North 24 Parganas near India-Bangladesh border for eight days. His abductors reportedly collected Rs 3.75 crore as ransom. Roy Burman and his family members,however,turned hostile,denying they had paid ransom.

The verdict was delivered at the Special Court inside Alipore Central Jail where the trial was held due to security reasons. No outsider,not even the media,was allowed inside.

The Criminal Investigation Department of the state Government had filed chargesheet against 35 accused for their alleged involvement in the abduction. Only 22 accused faced the trial that commenced in 2005. Among the rest,Noor Mollah and Bablu Jafar turned approver. One of the accused Asif Reza Khan was killed in an encounter in Gujarat. Amir Reza Khan,another accused,is still absconding. Another three accused are facing trial in other states and six are absconding,said Nabakumar Ghosh,counsel for the state Government. As many as 139 witnesses deposed during the trial.

The government counsel said Ansari was the kingpin of the abduction case and four others had assisted him.

Advocate Sandip Bhattacharjee,counsel for Akib Ali and Sauqat,said he will move the Calcutta High Court challenging the conviction. He said Roy Burman had himself become hostile during the trial.