CBI presses for death for Salem, four other convicts

Mumbai: The prosecution in the 1993 blast case pressed for death sentence to five of the six accused on Thursday, saying that it is no more a question of why the convicts should be convicted for the crimes, but why the quantum of punishment should be any less than death. It referred to numerous judgements of the apex court where terrorist acts were awarded the death penalty. The prosecution held that death and injury to around 1000 innocent people was sufficient ground for them to be awarded death sentence. The argument is expected to be completed by Monday.

CBI special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi started his submission on the quantum of punishment to the accused at 3 pm before the special Tada court presided over by Judge Govind Sanap. He stressed that the crimes committed by them were severe and hence deserved maximum punishment.  As for the sixth accused, Riyaz Siddique, the CBI sought life imprisonment for him.  

Advocate Salvi informed the court that as the acts of the first five convicts amounted to conspiracy, in light of various judgements of the apex court wherein conspirators were awarded the maximum punishment, which is death, CBI would seek for maximum punishment.

“The court will have to consider the glaring evidence brought on record which mentions the death of 257 persons and 713 citizens, who were brutally injured in the blasts. The court will have to keep in mind these two numbers while deciding on the quantum. Further, it is necessary to mention that the quantity of RDX (explosive) was 1,500 kg, which could have destroyed the entire Mumbai,” argued Salvi.

While speaking about the justice pleas by the convicts, the CBI prosecutor said that when the convicts spoke about justice, they failed to answer what was the fault of the citizens who died and were injured due to the high magnitude blasts initiated by them. “It is well observed by the Supreme Court in one of its recent judgments, which reads that once the crime comes under terrorism, then the court should not hesitate in awarding death punishment,” he said.

When asked when the arguments would conclude, Advocate Salvi said that it would take another day or two.