1993 Mumbai blasts case: Fate of Abu Salem, four others to be decided by TADA court today

Almost 24 years after 12 bombs ripped Mumbai apart, the special Terrorist and Disruptive
Activity (TADA) Court would pronounce the quantum of punishment against five convicts of the
1993 Mumbai Bomb Blasts Case on Thursday.

#ExpectedToday Mumbai Court to announce quantum of sentence against Abu Salem & 4
convicts in 1993 Mumbai blast case

ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2017

On 16 June, 2017, the TADA court had convicted six accused, including gangster Abu Salem and
Mustafa Dossa. Dossa died of a heart attack on 28 June.

File image of Abu Salem. PTI

File image of 1993 blast convict Abu Salem. PTI

The others convicted by the court include Firoz Khan, Mohammed Tahir Merchant alias Tahir
Taklya, Karimullah Khan and Riyaz Ahmed Siddique. The court had acquitted Abdul Qayoom.

The TADA court had convicted all except Siddiqui under charges including murder, criminal
conspiracy and other sections under the Indian Penal Code, TADA Act, Explosive Substances Act,
Explosives Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Siddiqui was convicted under
Section 3 (3) of the TADA Act, The Indian Express reported.

This was the second leg of the trial in the serial blasts case involving seven accused by TADA
court, reported The Times of India. The trail was separated from the main case as they were
arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial.

In the first part of the trial that ended in 2007, the anti-terrorism court had convicted 100
people, out of which 23 were eventually acquitted, reported NDTV.

In 2015, Yakub Memon was hanged in connection with the same case, .
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought life term for Abu Salem, Tahir Merchant and
Karimullah Khan. Although, Salem, was extradited from Portugal in 2005 under Section 34C of
the Extradition Act under which he cannot be given capital punishment.Salem was accused of
transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai.

The court, in all, recorded statements of around 750 prosecution witnesses and 50 witnesses.
Three accused including Salem had confessed to their crime.

Though the hearing in the case began in 2007, it was delayed as three petitions were pending
with the Supreme Court, one each filed by Mustafa Dossa and Salem, and another by CBI.

The trial resumed in 2012 and concluded this March. The case (involving the seven accused) was
first heard by judge Pramod Kode, who had also delivered the judgement in the first leg of the
trial and convicted 100 accused and acquitted 23 in 2007.

Later, judge DU Mullah presided over the TADA court, and the case is now being heard by judge
GA Sanap.

The dastardly attack on 12 March, 1993 had left 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured and
destroyed properties worth Rs 27 crore.