Mumbai triple blasts case: POTA court to pronounce quantum of punishment today

Mumbai: A Special POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) Court will on Wednesday pronounce the quantum of sentence for 10 people held guilty on Tuesday in connection with the triple bomb blasts in Mumbai between December 2002 and March 2003 that killed at least 12 people and injured 139 others.

Three other accused were acquitted yesterday.

Those convicted include a former general secretary of the banned outfit, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The first blast occurred near McDonald's eatery in Mumbai Central Terminus on December 6, 2002, another in a Vile Parle market on January 27, 2003, and the third in a crowded ladies first class compartment of a suburban train near Mulund on March 13, 2003.

The prosecution said the accused, mostly members of SIMI, wanted to avenge the razing of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya in 1992 and the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.

Convicted former SIMI general secretary Saquib Nachan was described by police as the "mastermind" of the triple blasts.

Nine others found guilty are Ateef Nasir Mulla, Hasib Zubeir Mulla, Gulam Khotal, Mohammed Kamil, Farhan Khot, Noor M Malik, Dr Wahid Ansari, Muzammil Ansari and Anwar Ali Khan.

Haroon Lohar, Nadeem Paloba and Adnan Mulla were acquitted by the court for lack of sufficient evidence against them.

Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUeM) Maharashtra, which provided legal aid to the accused, said it would challenge the judgement in the Bombay High Court.