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
