Two Dawood aides to face trial in 1993 serial bomb blasts

Mumbai: A special TADA court on Monday framed charges against deported accused Farooque Takla an aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Ahmed alias Ahmed Lamboo alias Khalid Kamal Shaikh in 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blast case.

With framing of charges on these two accused the third leg of the trial in the 1993 serial Bombay blast is likely to begin in due course.

In the first trial, more than 100 persons where held guilty and later in the second phase of the trial against another set of seven accused, the court convicted six accused including gangster Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa and Tahir Merchant and acquitted Abdul Kayuum of all the charges.

However, Dossa died of cardiac arrest in jail before pronouncement of quantum of punishment.

The special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court judge S.V. Yarlagadda framed charges of criminal conspiracy of the serial 1993 bomb blasts among other relevant sections of TADA, Arms Act, Explosives Act and Explosive Substance Act.

Major charges against Shaikh is that he received four accused involved in  the blasts at Dubai airport in January 1993 and made arrangements for their stay and also financed them to meet their expenses there.

The CBI has further alleged that he arranged their tickets to Pakistan to receive training in handling arms, ammunitions and explosives.

On the other hand, Shaikh has been charged with attending a conspiracy meeting with other convicted and absconding accused at underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s residence known as ‘White House’ in Dubai. According to CBI, plans were chalked out in this meeting for committing terrorist act in Mumbai.

He is also charged for allegedly visiting Pakistan along with absconding accused and receiving training in handling arms, ammunitions, throwing of grenades and making bombs etc.

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