A local court today convicted two persons for possessing large amount of explosives under various sections of the Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act in Chandigarh.

The two accused, Kamaljeet Singh and Paramjeet Singh, were arrested by the Chandigarh police from Kisan Bhawan in 2005. They were suspected to have been trained by Jagtar Singh Hawara, head of the Babbar Khalsa International Terrorist Group, and were allegedly preparing to be ‘human bombs’ to kill VIPs in Chandigarh.

The court, however, found no evidence to substantiate the allegations and they were hence acquitted under Section 121 (waging war against country).

Sources said that their arrested in 2005, the Chandigh police had recovered 450 grams of RDX, two human bomb belts, a .25 bore pistol, five cartridges and two detonators.

The police had booked them under sections 121, 121-A, 153 of the Indian Penal Code, Section 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act.

While Paramjeet was convicted under Section 4 B (II) and 5 B of Explosive Substance Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act, Kamaljeet was found guilty under Section 4 B (II) and 5 B of the Explosive Substance Act.

They were acquitted in the rest of the charges framed against them. The quantum of punishment will be announced on October 23.

Based on the statements of the security guard of Kisan Bhawan, the defence counsel said the two were not arrested from Kisan Bhawan at that time as shown by the police. The public prosecutor said the two were arrested in the early hours, so no person was present at the spot.

Both the accused belong to different villages and are not related to each other.