- Last week, TADA Court found Abu Salem and five others guilty of conspiracy in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case
- Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Shaikh, Tahir Merchant, Riaz Siddiqui and Firoz Khan are the five other convicts
- Abdul Qayyum, who was also accused in the case, was acquitted for lack of evidence
- The prosecution wants maximum sentence for the six convicts
- All accused were acquitted of the charge of waging war against the nation
- A series of blasts in Mumbai in 1993 had killed 257 and injured 713 others
Prosecution Wants Maximum Sentence for Convicts
The prosecution on Thursday told a TADA court that it would seek maximum punishment under the law for the six persons convicted last week in the 1993 serial blasts case.
The statement came after the defence lawyer Sudeep Passbola said the prosecution should make arguments on the quantum of sentence first, as the defence needs to know the aggravating circumstances against the convicts which the prosecution may put forth.
Special CBI counsel Deepak Salvi, however, said the prosecution will start arguments only after the accused put forth mitigating circumstances in their favour.
Requesting for maximum punishment, Salvi brought to the court’s notice that 257 lives were lost and 713 were injured in the blasts.
The argument on quantum of sentence was adjourned till 3 pm on Friday. The hearing on the case has been ongoing since 19 June, and it is still unclear when will the final sentence be delivered.
Read all the updates for the 1993 Mumbai Blasts on our live blog.
Salem Wants to Be Called Back to Portugal
Gangster Abu Salem moved a European Union court on 18 June in a bid to have himself sent back to Portugal from where he was extradited to India to face the trial. Salem moved the European Union court months before his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case early this week.
We have moved the European Court of Human Rights, a court under the European Union, seeking his recall to Portugal as there were many violations to his extradition order.Salem’s lawyer Sabha Qureshi
Salem contended that after the Portugal court terminated the 2014 order for his extradition, his entire trial in India has become illegal.
Six Accused, Including Abu Salem, Convicted
A special TADA court on Friday convicted six persons, including mastermind Mustafa Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem, in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case – 24 years after the attacks left 257 people dead. It, however, acquitted Abdul Quayyum, the seventh accused.
All the seven accused were facing multiple charges which included criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Government of India and murder.
This was the second leg of the trial. In the first leg of the trial that concluded in 2007, the TADA court had convicted 100 accused in the case, while 23 people were acquitted.
The present trial of the seven accused – Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum – was separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial.
Convicts and Their Charges
Here are the charges under which the accused were pronounced guilty.
One Accused Acquitted
One accused Abdul Quayyum was let off for want of evidence against him.
Satisfied with Verdict: Rakesh Maria
Retired IPS officer Rakesh Maria, who headed the probe in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, on Friday welcomed the conviction of the six persons in the case.
People who hatched the conspiracy with Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai got convicted. It is a good judgement and I am satisfied with it. The investigation which our team carried out was accepted by the judiciary. This shows our investigation was right.Rakesh Maria
Maria credited the Mumbai police team who did "massive work day and night".
Abu Salem Aide Nabbed
Jaan Usman Khan alias Reenu, a suspected aide of Abu Salem, who is wanted in several cases was arrested near Sanjay Jheel in East Delhi on Friday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Omvir Singh confirmed Khan's arrest and said his interrogation was under way.
Tracing Khan's links with the Salem gang, a police official said he had gone to Mumbai in 1996 where he met Waseem, who was accused of killing T- Series Cassette owner and film producer Gulshan Kumar.
After being introduced to Salem by Wasim, Khan decided too join Salem’s gang.Omvir Singh
‘An Unprecedented Terror Attack’
On 12 March 1993, the country's commercial capital witnessed an unprecedented terrorist attack when a series 12 bomb explosions took place one after another, in about a span of two hours.
The blasts took place at Bombay Stock Exchange, Katha Bazaar, Lucky petrol pump near Sena Bhavan, opposite Passport office near Century Bazaar, Fishermen's colony at Mahim Causeway, at basement of Air India Building, Zaveri Bazaar, Hotel Sea Rock, Plaza Theatre, Centaur Hotel (Juhu), Sahar Airport (Bay no 54) and Centaur Hotel (near airport).
This was the first ever terrorist attack in the world where RDX (Research Department Explosive ie cyclotrimethylene trinitramine) was used on such a large scale after the Second World War.
According to the prosecution, in order to avenge the demolition of Babri Masjid, members of the crime syndicate, under the fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim along with other absconding accused Tiger Memon, Mohammed Dossa and Mustafa Dossa (who is presently facing trial) hatched a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in India.
The prosecution said that the object of the crime was to commit terrorist acts with an intent to overawe the Government of India, to strike terror on the people, alienate section of the people, and to harm the communal harmony.
It said that the conspirators smuggled firearms, ammunitions, detonators, hand grenades and highly explosive substances like RDX into India and stored it.
(With PTI inputs)
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