MUMBAI: The chief metropolitan magistrate court has awarded 17 days’ imprisonment and a Rs 7,500 penalty to a man who allegedly sent a SMS to the Mumbai police commissioner’s office that he would trigger a blast in the city in May 2015.
The accused was arrested from Thane by the Azad Maidan police and booked for criminal intimidation and public mischief. The accused had used his own and his father-in-law’s phone to send the threat.
According to the prosecution, on May 24, 2015, Sagar Wagh, one of the police officers working in the public complaints ward, registered a complaint with the Azad Maidan police station. Mr Wagh stated that on May 23, 2015, he received a SMS from the mobile numbers of one Satyaprakash Kalwani and his father-in-law. The SMS read, “My name is Satyaprakash Kalwani. I wanted to say that if you have the guts, restrain me. My maternal uncle, Kamhaiyya Pahaljani and me will trigger a blast in Mumbai. I have received Rs 50 lakh and you cannot arrest me. My address is 53, Vishnu Nagar, Singhi Colony, near Gurudwara Kirana shop, Aurangabad”.
Satyaprakash Kalwani refuted the charges framed against him. The accused’s lawyer, advocate P.C. Das, refused to believe the testimony.
The court noted that the accused had not hidden his identity so he could not be granted any benefit of doubt. The court held the accused guilty under section 505 (II) of the IPC (whoever makes, publishes or circulates rumour).
