Mumbai, Aug 29 (IANS): A Mumbai sessions court Monday convicted two of the six accused in the 2008 theatre and auditoria blasts in Thane and Vashi that injured seven people. Four others were acquitted for lack of evidence, a lawyer said.
The quantum of punishment for the two convicts would be pronounced Tuesday in the court of Judge N.V. Nhavkar, said public prosecutor Rohini Salian.
"Ramesh Gadkari and Vikram Bhave have been convicted for planting bombs in two auditoria and a movie theatre in Thane, Vashi and Panvel," said the special public prosecutor.
On June 4, 2008, a bomb exploded in the parking lot of Gadkari Rangayatan theatre in Thane, injuring seven people. On May 31, 2008, a bomb exploded at Vishnu Bhave Auditorium in Vashi in Navi Mumbai. On Feb 20, 2008, a bomb was found at Cineraj cinema hall in Panvel in Raigad district.
Gadkari and Bhave have been convicted under IPC sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 427 (mischief, causing damage to public property).
The six accused allegedly belonged to a Hindu revivalist group, Sanatan Sanstha. The four who were acquitted for lack of evidence are Mangesh Nikam, Santosh Angre, Hemant Chalke, and Hari Divekar.
"However, the name of Sanatan Sanstha has not appeared anywhere during the trial and verdict. The judge observed that the accused do not belong to any group - terrorist or otherwise," defence lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar told IANS.
Accused of conspiracy and planting bombs, the six men were charged with criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder as well as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.
However, the charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have been dropped against all six accused.
"They have also been acquitted from serious charges of 307 IPC (attempt to murder)," Punalekar said.
"The offences for which they have been pronounced guilty attract punishment up to five years," he added.
The group had protested a play, "Amhi Pachpute", which was to be staged at the theatre in Thane. They alleged it portrayed Indian gods and goddesses in poor light.