A Mumbai court has sentenced Afzal Usmani, a key member of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, to five years' imprisonment for escaping from the special MCOCA court in September 2013. Special public prosecutor Vaibhav Bagade said his nephew Javed Khan was also sentenced to five years in jail.<br/><br/>Usmani, a known car thief, fled from the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court on September 20, 2013 and was rearrested by state anti-terrorism squad on October 28, 2013, near Indo-Nepal border. He is facing trial in Mumbai for sending e-mails, along with others, on IM's behalf to media organisations in which the terror outfit took responsibility for various blasts.<br/><br/>Usmani was convicted for the offences of escaping from custody and forgery, while Javed was convicted for harboring Usmani after the escape. In the trial which lasted more than six months, the prosecution examined 12 witnesses while the defence examined three witnesses on its side. <br/><br/>According to the police, Usmani was involved in stealing four cars which were used to transport explosives to Ahmedabad and Surat. He was also charged with planting bombs.<br/>A series of 21 blasts rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, killing 56 people and injuring over 200. Between July 28 and 30, 2008, 26 unexploded bombs were found at various locations in Surat, besides two cars filled with material required for making explosives and detonators.