Mysuru: The Principal District and Sessions Court has sentenced three persons, including an octogenarian, to jail in an illegal sand mining case reported in Hunsur.

The convicted have been identified as Vinay, 25, and Sagar, 28, of Kirijaji village in Hunsur taluk and Tractor Owner Abdul Latif Baig, 80, of Hunsur.

Vinay and Sagar had escaped, when the Hunsur Police intercepted the  Tractor in which they were illegally transporting sand from Lakshman Teertha River bed near Hunsur town on Aug, 28, 2015.

Later, the Police also booked Tractor owner Abdul Latif Baig for encouraging the duo into the unlawful activity.

Hunsur Police had filed charge-sheet against the three.

The Principal District and Session Court Judge P.G.M. Patil, who heard the case yesterday, convicted the accused. Vinay and Sagar were sentenced to one year in jail and fined Rs. 25,000 each for the offences committed under the provisions of Mines and Minerals Act and IPC, while Baig was sentenced to 6 months in jail and fined of Rs. 25,000.

Judge P.G.M. Patil announced the sentence after rejecting the pleas of then convicts for leniency, saying that the offence they had committed was serious in nature and there is a Supreme Court directive to treat cases of theft of natural resources seriously. Vinay had petitioned that he had to take care of his aged parents, while Sagar had claimed that he is poor and Baig had said that he was too old.

Public Prosecutor H.E. Chinnappa argued on behalf of the State.