The TADA court will pronounce the quantum of punishment of five convicts, including extradited gangster Abu Salem, in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

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According to CNN-News18, Tahir Merchant sent Indian youths for weapons training to Pakistan whereas Feroz Khan was Mustafa Dossa's close aide and ensured arms and ammunition reached Dighi. Khan also manged police, customs and destroyed arms and ammunition after the blasts.

According to CNN-News18, Tahir Merchant sent Indian youths for weapons training to Pakistan whereas Feroz Khan was Mustafa Dossa's close aide and ensured arms and ammunition reached Dighi. Khan also manged police, customs and destroyed arms and ammunition after the blasts.

Convicts will get set-off for the time they have served in jail: Ujjwal, Public Prosecutor on 1993 Mumbai Blasts case sentence pic.twitter.com/WEpaF0PzcU

"The court has given a life sentence to Abu Salem. But the ball is in the court of the government of India," YC Pawar, former joint commisioner, told CNN-News18.

Ball is in the court of govt of India: Ex-joint commissioner on Abu Salem's life sentence

Salem had complete knowledge about the blasts. Only if Govt commutes, whole life will be converted to 25 years:DN Salvi, CBI Special Counsel

Salem's life sentence will be converted to 25 years in prison only if govt commutes it: CBI special counsel

This was "vital towards achievement of the conspiracy so that the weapons could be used to terrorise and torment innocent citizens of India," the court had said. — PTI

Salem, who was close to (Dawood's brother) Anees Ibrahim and Dossa, took upon of himself to bring a part of arms and ammunition from Dighi to Mumbai, the court earlier said.

The court had earlier held that prosecution proved Salem was one of the main conspirators and he delivered three AK-56 rifles and ammunition and hand grenades to actor Sanjay Dutt (convicted in earlier phase of trial under the Arms Act).

1993 Mumbai Blasts Case: Convicts have been given sentences for different offences, all punishments will run concurrently.

The special Terrorist and Disruptive Activity (TADA) court will on Thursday pronounce the quantum of punishment of five convicts, including extradited gangster Abu Salem, in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

Judge GA Sanap had on 16 June convicted Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui and Tahir Merchant for their role in hatching the conspiracy for the blasts. Another accused, Abdul Kayuum, was acquitted.

The court had concluded hearing on the quantum of punishment on 10 August. Judge Sanap had said he would pronounce the sentence on 7 September.

The prosecution had demanded death for Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Feroz Khan and Tahir Merchant, and life sentence for Siddiqui. However, Dossa, one of the masterminds of the conspiracy (apart from absconding accused Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon and others) died of cardiac arrest on 28 June.

The prosecution had said that Salem too deserved death, but it cannot demand the maximum penalty for him because of the Indian Extradition Act.

Under section 34 (C) of the Act, if the country from where an accused has been extradited does not have a law that provides for capital punishment, he or she cannot be sentenced to death. Such a convict, however, can be awarded life term in jail.

In the first set of trial in the case which concluded in 2007, the court had convicted 100 accused, including Yakub Memon (who got death penalty) and actor Sanjay Dutt.

The trial of Salem and others was separated as they were arrested later.

The serial blasts in the countrys financial capital on 12 March, 1993 left 257 people dead, 713 seriously injured, and destroyed property worth Rs 27 crore.

In the present trial, except for Riyaz Siddiqui, the court had convicted other five of criminal conspiracy and murder under the IPC and provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act. Siddiqui was convicted only under the TADA for helping Salem and others in transporting arms and ammunition.

All of them were absolved of the charge of waging war against the nation under section 121 of IPC.

While Dossa arranged for landing of explosives, including RDX in India, and sent some youths to Pakistan for arms training, Salem transported arms and ammunition from Gujarat coast to Mumbai.

He also handed over AK-56 rifles, 250 rounds of ammunition, and some hand grenades to Dutt. He was accused of later collected two rifles and some ammunition back from the actors residence.

The court had dropped certain charges against Salem in 2013 after the investigating agency, CBI, said those were in violation of the extradition treaty between India and Portugal from where Salem was deported in 2005.

With inputs from agencies