Mumbai, Dec 17: The Mumbai High Court today set aside the death sentence awarded by a special court to three alleged Chhota Shakeel gangsters who had opened fire at former mayor of Mumbai Milind Vaidya outside Shiv Sena office nearly five years ago injuring him and killing three persons. Justice J A Patil and Justice A S Aguiar acquitted Mohammed Zuber Kasam Shaikh and Fazal Mohammed Shaikh of all the charges including firing indiscriminately at the victims.
However, the judges held Azizuddin Shaikh guilty of offences but commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment. The court held that he would spend jail terms for other offences after serving life sentence. The court upheld the trial court's order convicting two other accused, Mohammed Farooq Abdul Gafoor Rangari and Mansoor Haji Iqbal Pankar, under MCOCA and sentencing them to ten years' RI. However, their appeal against conviction was partly allowed as the court struck down sentences awarded to them under IPC Sections 212, 52 A and 120-B.
The judges also upheld the order of designated judge A P Bhangale sentencing Abdul Hassan Mistry to life imprisonment but partly allowed his appeal striking down other charges.
Bureau Report