Court notes the confession for conviction; defence seeks leniency, citing family responsibilities
MANGALURU — A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sentenced Mohammad Shariq to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with the 2022 cooker blast case in Mangaluru in Karnataka.
The sentence was delivered on Monday after the accused admitted his role before the court. The case relates to an explosion that took place on 19 November 2022 near Kankanady, when a pressure cooker device went off inside a moving auto-rickshaw.
The blast injured two people, including the accused himself and the auto driver, identified as Purushottam Poojary. No deaths were reported in the incident.
According to investigators, the accused was allegedly on his way to place the device at a religious site when it exploded prematurely, preventing a potentially more serious situation.
The court convicted him under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 121A, 122, and 326, along with provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
During the hearing, defence lawyers requested a lighter sentence. One of the lawyers told the court, “He is the sole earning member of his family and has a young daughter. We request the court to consider leniency.”
After considering the arguments, the court awarded a 10-year sentence.
Officials said the accused had been undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the blast before being taken into custody by the NIA for questioning. The agency later completed its investigation and filed a chargesheet.
West Bengal Crude Bombs
In a separate development, the NIA has also taken over a case in West Bengal related to the recovery of crude bombs. The agency registered a fresh case following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
An NIA statement said, “As per orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the case linked to the recovery of crude bombs has been taken over. The materials recovered posed a threat to life and property.”
The recovery, initially handled by Kolkata Police, involved 79 crude bombs and other items found at a location on April 25.
The developments highlight ongoing investigations by central agencies into cases involving explosives, with authorities continuing to monitor related threats and legal proceedings.
