Mumbai, July 07: Mumbai High Court would hear a reference made by Maharashtra government for confirmation of death sentence imposed on three alleged Chhota Shakeel gangsters in the sensational case of multiple murders and brutal attack on former city mayor Milind Vaidya. An appeal, filed by the convicts against the death sentence, will also be heard on the same day. It will be argued by lawyer Majeed Memon and Sirish Gupte.

The convicts are Mohammed Zubair Kasam Shaikh Tabrez, Fazal Mohammed Shaikh and Azizuddin Zairuddin Shaikh. They were convicted on September 5, 2000 by designated Judge A P Bhangale under provisions of IPC and MCOCA. In a dare-devil shoot-out, the trio had opened fire indiscriminately at a public place when former mayor Milind Vaidya was speaking to people outside Shiv Sena office at Mahim in Central Mumbai on March 4, 1999.

Vaidya and nine others were seriously injured in the firing. Later, three of them succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. However, Vaidya survived the attack. The convicts contended that the trial court's judgement was contrary to the evidence on record. They also pleaded that the offence was not conclusively established and that the judge had erred in convicting them on the basis of evidence.

Bureau Report