1993 Mumbai serial blasts: Abu Salem, five others convicted

Mumbai: Abu Salem and Mustafa Dossa, key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts that killed 257 people and left 713 injured, have been found guilty of conspiracy and terror activities by a special court.

Apart from Salem, who was extradited from Portugal in 2005, and Dossa, who was extradited from the UAE, the special Tada court also convicted Mohammed Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Takla, Karimullah Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui and Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan. Abdul Qayyum was the lone accused who was acquitted of all charges.

Salem was found guilty of transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai ahead of the blasts, and Dossa, key mastermind of the strike, was convicted on charges of conspiracy and murder.

The court held all the accused guilty of involvement in criminal conspiracy and other charges under Tada, Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.

Special Tada judge Govind A. Sanap set Monday to hear arguments on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to the accused.

Shaikh has been told not to leave the country till the other accused receive their punishment.

“The first conspiratorial meeting that took place in Dubai in the case was held in the house of Mohammad Dossa, Mustafa Dossa’s brother. Mustafa Dossa was himself was present. They conspired to send in arms, explosives and spark riots against Hindus and the government. The conspiracy was hatched as a revenge of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition,” Deepak Salve, the lawyer for the Central Bureau of Investigation, said.

The court maintained that Abu Salem and Mustafa Dossa, aides of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, were key conspirators and also instrumental in executing the serial blasts.

The extradition treaty that India signed with the Portuguese has a clause which states that Salem cannot be awarded death sentence by the Indian government.

In 2013, the court had dropped certain charges against Salem after the CBI moved a plea, saying those charges were against the extradition treaty between India and Portugal.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Shaikh said, “I have been in custody for the past 10 years and eight months. From the beginning I have been shouting that I am innocent. Had I been convicted, it would have been the most embarrassing thing to go through”

On March 12, 1993, a series of 12 explosions took place in Mumbai, between 1.30 pm and 3.40 pm, killing 257 people and destroying property worth Rs 27 crore.

The blasts occurred at the Bombay Stock Exchange, Katha Bazaar, Lucky Petrol pump near Sena Bhavan, opposite Passport office near Century Bazaar, Fishermen’s colony at Mahim Causeway, at the basement of the Air India Building, Zaveri Bazaar, Hotel Sea Rock, Plaza Theatre, Centaur Hotel in Juhu, Sahar Airport (Bay no.54) and Centaur Hotel near the airport.

Main trial of 123 accused ended in 2006 with the conviction of 100. A total of 33 accused are absconding, including key conspirators Dawood Ibrahim, his brother Anees Ibrahim, Mustafa’s brother Mohammed Dossa and Tiger Memon.