BENGALURU:Three operatives of the India-based banned terror outfit, Indian Mujahideen (IM), were pronounced guilty by the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in connection with the Chinnaswamy Stadium twin bomb blast case, on Monday. The three convicts were awarded seven years of imprisonment, including one year of rigorous imprisonment, along with penalty. This is the first conviction in the case, in which there are 14 more accused, including the top leaders of the IM.
Gauhar Aziz Khomeni (37) and Mohammed Kafeel Akhtar (32), both hailing from Lalganj of Darbhanga district in Bihar, and Kamal Hasan alias Bilal alias Billu alias Kalu (29) of Madhubani district in Bihar are the IM operatives who were convicted for the act of terrorism.On Wednesday, the trio had recorded their voluntary statement of confession before Siddalinga Prabhu, the Judge of the Special Court to hear the cases of NIA. The court had reserved the order and quantum of punishment till Monday.
When the case came up for hearing on Monday afternoon, the Judge pronounced the order, holding all the three accused guilty in the case. Besides, the Judge also levied a penalty of `7.50 lakh each to Gauhar Aziz Khomeni and Kamal Hasan, and `10 lakh to Mohammed Kafeel Akhtar, and ordered that the penalty should be given as compensation to the victims of bomb blast.
The three have already spent six years and one month as undertrial inmates in prison and they will have to spend the remaining 11 months in jail. As they have undergone simple imprisonment, the remaining period of jail term will be rigorous imprisonment.
Earlier, the three had moved application in the court seeking for plea bargaining under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure but the petition was dismissed on July 3. Later on Wednesday, however, they had recorded their voluntary statement of confession before the Judge.
They had told in their statements that they were not directly involved in the blast but had participated in meetings with IM leaders Riaz Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal in Delhi, during which the conspiracy was hatched to carry out blasts. They had confessed that they were only involved in the conspiracy but were not involved in preparing or planting of Improvised Explosive Devices. They had pleaded not to convict them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.
BACKGROUND
Two low-intensity bombs had exploded at M Chinnaswamy stadium, just a few minutes before an IPL match on April 17, 2010. As many as 15 people, including policemen were injured in the blast that occurred at the gate no. 12 of the stadium. The bombs were hidden in a plastic bag and placed adjacent to a compound of the stadium. The city police, who investigated the case, had found out that it was the handiwork of Indian Mujahideen terror outfit.
ANOTHER ACCUSED READY TO CONFESS
Mohammed Tariqh Anjum Hasan, another accused in the case, has also informed the court to record his voluntary statement of confession. As he is in the custody of Hyderabad police, the court has directed that his statement will be recorded only if he is produced before the court. Besides, the case has 14 more accused, including IM Chief Riaz Bhatkal, his brother Iqbal Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal.