Mumbai: A special court here is expected to deliver its verdict in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts on Friday, involving seven accused, including extradited gangster Abu Salem.
The dastardly attacks left 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured and destroyed properties worth Rs 27 crore.
Apart from Abu Salem, who was extradited from Portugal in 2005, the other accused are Mustafa Dossa (extradited from the UAE), Mohammed Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Takla, Abdul Qayyum, Karimullah Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan.
Salem was accused of transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai.
Mustafa Dossa allegedly masterminded the landing of explosives including RDX in India and sent some youth to Pakistan to acquire arms training.He also handed over to actor Sanjay Dutt, who was an accused in the case for illegally possessing weapons, AK 56 rifles, 250 bullets and some hand grenades at his residence on January 16, 1993. Two days later on January 18, 1993, Salem and two others went to Dutt’s house and got back two rifles and some rounds.
Dossa is facing charges of conspiracy and arranging landing of the explosives – around 3,000 kg of RDX, along with his associates in Raigad.
The court, in all, recorded statements of around 750 prosecution witnesses and 50 witnesses. Three accused including Salem confessed to their crime during investigations carried out by the CBI over the years in the blasts case.
Bureau Report
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