Train firing: Dismissed RPF man's bail rejected; was in well settled position, mind, says court
Mumbai, Dec 16: A court here on Saturday denied bail to dismissed Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary, accused of shooting dead his senior colleague and three passengers on a moving train in July this year, by stating he was in a "well settled position and mind" at the time of crime.
His bail was rejected by Additional Sessions Judge (Dindoshi Court) AZ Khan who held the offence was serious.
Chaudhary not only killed his senior but also three others of a "particular community" by making them specific targets, the court said.
The accused uttered words which clearly show "he was in a well settled position and mind to commit murder of people belonging to a specific community", the court said while rejecting his bail plea.
Chaudhary, who is lodged in a jail in Maharashtra's Akola, about 550 kms from here, was present in the court during the hearing.
In his bail plea, filed last month through advocates Amit Mishra and Pankaj Ghildiyal, the accused said he has been suffering from "haunted illusions of the ghostly world", and doing some weird act.
The police had opposed his plea, saying that he appeared to have harboured "anger and grudge" towards a particular community and showed no remorse for the crime committed.
If his bail is granted, it could create a negative image about the law and also create fear, panic and insecurity among certain religious groups, the Government Railway Police (RPF), which is probing the case, had submitted.
Umesa Khatoon, wife of victim Asgar Shaikh, through her advocates Karim Pathan and Fazlurrahman Shaikh, had also opposed Chaudhary's bail, saying the accused is a "terrorist minded person" and "a threat to national security".
"There is prima facie case of four brutal murders committed by the hatemonger accused witnessed by 39 eyewitnesses and virtually witnessed by the entire nation," the advocates submitted.
The incident took place on July 31 on board the moving Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra.
He shot dead RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and another passenger in B5 coach with his automatic weapon. He then shot dead another passenger in a pantry car and one more passenger in S6 coach next to the pantry car after 5 am.
Chaudhary (34) was later nabbed with his weapon while trying to flee after passengers pulled the chain of the train and got it to halt at Mira Road.
In October, the police filed a chargesheet against Chaudhary.
He has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and others, as well as relevant provisions of Railways Act and Maharashtra Prevention Of Defacement of Property Act.
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Mangaluru cooker bomb case: Main accused gets 10-year jail term
Bengaluru/Mangaluru (PTI): A special NIA court in Bengaluru on Monday sentenced the prime accused in the Mangaluru cooker bomb case to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 94,000.
Mohamed Shariq had initially claimed innocence in the case, but later pleaded guilty under Section 229 of CrPC in December 2025, which the special court accepted.
According to prosecution, Shariq was carrying the pressure cooker IED (improvised explosive device) in an autorickshaw, and allegedly planned to plant it at Mangaluru’s Kadri Manjunatha Temple to spread terror among the Hindu community. The low intensity bomb, however, accidentally exploded on the way on November 19, 2022.
As per the operative portion of the order pronounced in open court, the accused Shariq (Accused No.1) was handed 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
He was also received two years’ rigorous imprisonment each under Sections 465 (forgery) and 471 (using forged documents), with fines of Rs 2,000 each.
The court further awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each under Sections 121A (waging war conspiracy), 122 (collecting arms with intent to wage war), 307 (attempt to murder) and 326 (causing grievous hurt).
Under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the accused was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000 each under Sections 16(b), 17, 18, 20, 38, 39 and 40.
Additionally, under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, he was awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with fines of Rs 5,000 each under Sections 3(a) and 5(a).
The court ordered that all substantive sentences shall run concurrently. In case of default in payment of fines, additional imprisonment ranging from one to six months has been prescribed for different counts.
The court also ordered that the period already undergone in judicial custody be set off against the sentence under Section 428 of the CrPC. The fine amount, once recovered, will be utilised towards defraying prosecution expenses.
Advocates said the court directed that a soft copy of the order be provided to the accused through email and a hard copy be sent by post, as his presence was secured through video conferencing.
A warrant of conviction has been ordered to be issued.
In the same case, the judicial custody of accused no 2 has been extended till May 21, 2026, and jail authorities have been directed to produce the accused through video conferencing on that date.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad welcomed the court verdict and urged the NIA to file an appeal in the court to increase the sentence.
"His intention was to blow up the Kadri temple and kill hundreds of devotees. Considering this, the sentence should have been increased but the sentence has been reduced. We immediately urge the National Investigation Agency to file an appeal with the court to increase the sentence," the VHP said in a statement.
