BENGALURU: In one of the first verdicts in terror attacks in Bengaluru, a special National Investigation Agency court on Monday convicted three of the 13 accused in the 2010 Chinnaswamy Stadium blasts case, and handed them a seven-year jail term and a Rs 7.5 lakh fine each.
The conviction and sentencing were fast-tracked after Gowhar Azeez Khomani, Kamal Hassan and Mohammed Kafeel Akhtar confessed under Section 265 of the CrPC seeking leniency in punishment. The court dismissed the confession plea of a fourth accused on technical grounds.
The trial against the other 10 accused, including Yasin Bhatkal, founder of the banned Indian Mujahideen, will continue.
Three blasts rocked M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 17, 2010, ahead of a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, injuring 15, including a few policemen.
Stadium blast Convicts have to spend 15 more years in jail if they don’t pay fine
Police recovered two live bombs near the stadium.
Judge Siddalinga Prabhu pronounced the verdict around 3.30pm. The seven-year jail includes one-year rigorous imprisonment. The convicts will have to spend 15 more years in jail if they fail to pay the fine.
In 2013, police arrested Khomani, Kamal Hassan and Akthar — all from Bihar and members of the Indian Mujahideen — and charged them with providing local support to the main accused, Yasin Bhatkal, to execute the blasts.
The accused were convicted on three counts in each of the five FIRs registered in the case — for being part of a terrorist organization, facilitating an act of terror and harbouring offenders.
“Five bombs were planted, and two exploded. Each convict has to pay Rs 1.5 lakh fine for each FIR,” Public prosecutor CA Ravindra said.
Cops looking for Riyaz Bhatkal
The three accused have been lodged in the Central Prison for six years. Police, along with Interpol, are looking for Yasin Bhatkal’s brother Riyaz, who is said to be in neighbouring Pakistan.
Shankar M Bidari, then city police commissioner, said, “This conviction is the result of teamwork. During investigation, we focused more on collecting technical evidence. The first piece of evidence came in the form of a newspaper used to wrap the explosives.”
Stadium’s gate No. 12 was one the three blast sites