2013 Bengaluru Bomb Blast: Special Court Sentences Two Accused Of Ban Organization Al-Ummah

A special court in Bengaluru recently sentenced two accused to seven years in prison and fined them Rs 50,000 for their roles in the 2013 bombing near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Malleswaram.

CM Gangadhar, a special judge under the National Investigation Agency Act (NIA Act), passed the order against the two accused in the case, Prakash Daniel Prakash and John Nasir of the banned organisation Al-Ummah.

The case against Prakash and Nasir was registered under Section 120B, 121, 121A, 123, 307, 332, 435, 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Explosive Substances Act, and Sections 11, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20A of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

After admitting guilt, they were convicted under Section 6 of the Explosive Substances Act and sentenced to imprisonment and a fine.

The Court ordered that the remaining sentence be served in addition to the time already served in judicial custody.

Background

Members of the banned militant group Al-Ummah were impatient with the then-government after the arrest of Abdul Nasir Madani, the accused in the Bengaluru serial blasts case, in 2008.

As a result, on April 13, 2013, the accused targeted the BJP office and detonated an IED bomb on a bike. The incident injured six people, including 12 police officers and a young woman.