Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, 4 others convicted in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case

The dastardly attacks left 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured and destroyed properties worth Rs 27 crore.

Mumbai: A special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court on Friday found six persons guilty in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, including underworld don Abu Salem. The serial blasts left 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured and destroyed properties worth Rs 27 crore.

Those found guilty are: Abu Salem who was extradited from Portugal in 2005, Mustafa Dossa who was deported from the UAE, Mohammed Tahir Merchantalias Tahir Takla, Karimullah Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan, said Public Prosecutor Deepak Salve.

Another prime accused, Abdul Qayyum was acquitted of all the major charges.

However, all accused were acquitted for the charge of waging war against the nation.

Salem was accused of transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai.

The gangster also handed over to actor Sanjay Dutt, who was an accused in the case for illegally possessing weapons, AK 56 rifles, 250 bullets and some hand grenades at his residence on January 16, 1993. Two days later on January 18, 1993, Salem and two others went to Dutt’s house and got back two rifles and some rounds.

Mustafa Dossa masterminded the landing of explosives including RDX in India and sent some youth to Pakistan to acquire arms training.

Dossa was convicted on charges of conspiracy and arranging landing of the explosives - around 3,000 kg of RDX, along with his associates in Raigad.

Abdul Qayyum was acquitted of all charges in 1993 Mumbai blasts case. Court ordered his release on personal bond.

Another accused Firoze Khan was convicted under charges of conspiracy and murder under sections of IPC, TADA and Explosives Act.

Accused Tahir Merchant was also convicted in 1993 Mumbai blasts case by the Mumbai TADA court.

The special court here convicted Karimullah Shaikh in the blasts case.

Mumbai TADA court believed that Dossa, Salem, Merchant and Firoz Khan were among the main conspirators of 1993 blasts case.

The court set the next hearing date on June 19, to decide the date for argument on quantum of sentence.

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 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.

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 in which RDX (Research Department Explosive i.E cyclotrimethylene trinitramine) was used on such a large-scale after the Second World War.

The court, in all, recorded statements of around 750 prosecution witnesses and 50 witnesses. Three accused including Salem confessed to their crime during investigations carried out by the CBI over the years in the blasts case.

Earlier, in the same case, the Special TADA Court had convicted 100 accused, including Yakub Abdul Razak Memon who was hanged on July 30, 2015.