The special NIA court here on Tuesday sentenced three persons, arrested in 2012 from Nanded in Maharashtra for conspiring to kill Hindu leaders and journalists to create unrest in the country, to ten years in prison.

Special judge D E Kothalikar acquitted two other accused for lack of evidence. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had in 2012 arrested five persons from Nanded. The case was later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The court on Tuesday convicted Mohammed Akram, Mohammad Muzammil and Mohammed Sadique under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Arms Act and sentenced them to ten years'' imprisonment.