Patiala, Feb 5: A special court in Patiala on Tuesday sentenced all three accused in the IC-814 hijacking case of 1999 to life imprisonment.

Abdul Latif, Yusuf Nepali and Dilip Kumar Bhujel have been charged under anti hijacking law and also for attempt to murder, conspiracy and abduction.

The three were arrested on charges of conspiracy to hijack the Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi on December 24, 1999.

They have been charged for helping the hijackers in procuring fake passports and to take weapons onboard. They have been lodged in the Patiala jail since 1999.

Over 120 witnesses have been examined in the case.

The week-long hijack drama ended with the release of three dreaded terrorists, including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Zargar and Sheikh Ahmed Omar Sayeed in exchange for 189 people on board the Indian Airlines flight.

The hijackers killed Rupen Katyal, 25, and had stabbed Satnam Singh several times but he survived. (ANI)