Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 9: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here has awarded seven years imprisonment to three persons accused of being involved in a bomb blast outside Chinnaswamy cricket stadium here on April 17, 2010. The accused were held guilty based on their confessions. They also have been imposed heavy fines. As they have already completed six years inside the prison, they would be released after another year behind bars.

The bomb had gone off before an IPL match began at the stadium on April 17, 2010, injuring 15 persons including five security guards. Out of 18 accused, 14 had been arrested. Yasin Bhatkal and 13 others were named as accused in this case.

As Kamal Hassan, Gauhar Aziz Khomeini and Kafeel Akhther confessed to their involvement in the case through affidavits filed at the court, judge of the court, Siddalinga Prabhu, handed them seven years of imprisonment each. Aziz Khomeini and Kamal Hassan were fined Rs 7.50 lac each while Kafeel Akhther was fined ten lac rupees. If the guilty fail to pay fine, they will have to spend additional terms inside the prison at the rate of one year for each Rs 50,000 fine.

After the verdict came out, special public prosecutor, Raveendra, said that the court was conducting hearing in a case in which bomb blasts had taken place in five parts of the city. In the course of the hearing, three of the accused have confessed to their crime and therefore the court awarded them imprisonment and fine, he stated.

Advocate for the accused, S Balan said that the arrested accused were named as accused in the case just because they had come together in a house at New Delhi. He said that the accused were compelled to admit their guilt as they are already undergoing terrible pain, having been living away from their parents and families.