Mangaluru: The third additional district and sessions court on Wednesday sentenced three out of seven people arrested during a police raid on Mangaluru's first sleeper cell in 2008 to life imprisonment.

The judge S H Pushpanjali Devi sentenced the trio finding them guilty of abetting with Indian Mujahideen founder Riyaz Bhatkal in the serial blasts of 2008. The convicts are Sayyed Mohammed Noushad, a resident of Pandeshwar in Mangaluru; Ahammed Bava Aboobakker of Bollur in Haleyangadi, and Fakeer Ahamed from Uchila in Udupi district.

The judge held them guilty under sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code. At least 13 people were named suspects in the 2008 case, and the court completed the trial against seven accused and held three guilty.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 for the three persons for offences under section 16 (1) (b) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAP) Act, section 5 (b) of Indian Explosive Substances Act, section 120 (b) of India Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 (1)(A)(A) of Arms Act. In addition, Fakeer Ahamed was sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment for offence under section 6 of the Indian Explosives Substances Act.

The judge sentenced the trio to five-year rigorous imprisonment and directed them to pay fine of Rs 5,000 for offences under sections 17 and 18 of the UAP Act, and two years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 3,000 for offence under section 9 (b) of Explosives Act.

Noushad was also sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 for offence under section 420 (cheating) of IPC, and rigorous imprisonment of three years and fine of Rs 3,000 each for offences under sections 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC.