The unclaimed bag left behind by the accused was taken to a secluded place by the personnel of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad. (file photo)
MANGALURU: IV Additional District and Sessions Court Judge BR Pallavi on Wednesday convicted 37-year-old Aditya Rao, and sentenced him to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for possessing a bag with explosives near the ticket counter of Mangaluru International Airport (MIA). Sentenced to imprisonment (RI). on 20 January 2020.
The court also sentenced the accused to rigorous imprisonment for five years and a fine of Rs 10,000 for the offense punishable under Section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act.
In addition, Rao has been sentenced to undergo RI for 20 years and also to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 for an offense punishable under section 16 (b) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Both the sentences will run concurrently.
The accused had left a black bag full of explosives at the highlighting point of the departure gate of the airport at 8.33 am.
Eyewitnesses supported the prosecution and testified that they had seen the accused approaching the airport and leaving the black bag unattended.
The evidence from CISF officials along with footage from surveillance cameras also proved that it was Rao who had left the bag.
The accused left Karkala at 5.30 am on the day of the incident and reached State Bank, Mangaluru. From there he took a bus to Kenzaru, a kilometer away from MIA.
He dropped one of his duffle bags at a salon, which he collected on his return. He then hired an auto to reach MIA.
The unclaimed bag left behind by the accused was taken to a secluded place by the personnel of Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad.
The explosive was destroyed at a secluded place. The remains were collected from the blast site and sent to SFSL in Bengaluru.
On January 22, Rao surrendered to the Bengaluru Police and has been in judicial custody since then.
Public prosecutor Harishchandra Udyawar said a 700-page chargesheet was filed before the court in June 2020.
Rao, an out-of-work engineer from Manipal, learned to make explosives by watching videos online. He was separated from his family and lived alone and worked in restaurants.
The accused had confessed to his crime, but the court examined the prosecution witnesses and delivered the verdict after completing the trial. The Public Prosecutor said that the then ACP (North) KU Beliappa KU had filed the charge sheet.