2010 Chinnaswamy stadium blast: NIA court sentences three of the accused to seven years in prison
Fifteen people were injured in the explosions, which took place on April 17, 2010, during an Indian Premier League cricket match.
A special National Investigation Agency court in Bengaluru on Monday convicted and sentenced three Indian Mujahideen members to seven years in prison for carrying out the 2010 Chinnaswamy stadium blasts. The court said Gowhar Aziz Khomani, Kamaal Hasan and Mohammad Kafeel Akhtar will have to undergo one year of rigorous imprisonment as part of their sentence.
The three men have already spent six years and one month in prison while their trial went on, and thus will have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for the remaining 11 months, reported The New Indian Express.
The blasts occurred on April 17, 2010, during an Indian Premier League cricket match. Five improvised explosive devices were planted at the entrance of the stadium. Two exploded while three were defused. The explosions injured 15 people, including five security personnel.
Khomani, Hasan and Akhtar were found guilty under Sections 18 (conspiracy), 19 (harbouring) and 20 (being part of a terror organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The court also charged Akhtar under Section 13(1) of the law for advocating, abetting, inciting an unlawful activity. Khomani and Hasan will have to pay Rs 7.5 lakh penalty while Akhtar has to shell out Rs 10 lakh.
On July 4, the three recorded their voluntary statement of confession, reported The New Indian Express. They said they were not directly involved in the blast but had participated in meetings during which the conspiracy was hatched. They claimed they were not involved in preparing or planting the explosives.
This is the first conviction in the case. Fourteen people are accused of carrying out the attack, which was allegedly masterminded by Indian Mujahideen founder Yasin Bhatkal, reported NDTV. One of the accused was killed by other inmates in Yerwada jail in Pune while six men have not been arrested yet. The trial of the other accused, including prime accused Bhatkal, will continue. The next hearing is on July 19, according to The Hindu.