1993 Mumbai blasts: Abu Salem, Karimullah Khan sentenced to life

MUMBAI: Almost a quarter of a century and an execution (of Yakub Memon in 2015) later, it is the noose again for two convicted in the March 12, 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.A special judge presiding over the second trial in the case on Thursday pronounced death by hanging for Taher Merchant (55) and Feroz Khan (47), both of whom were absconding till 2010, for having conspired to cause the RDX blasts that killed 257 and injured 713.The court sentenced five of the seven accused on trial (one was acquitted in June and one died after conviction). Extradited gangster Abu Salem (48) and Karimullah Khan (55) were spared the noose — Salem by virtue of a Lisbon court order saying he could not be given death and Khan by Tada court judge G A Sanap. Riyaz Siddiqui (67), guilty of the lesser charge of abetment, was handed a 10-year sentence. He has already been in jail for 11 years since his arrest in 2006.This is the second and last set of accused to be convicted in the case for now. Another 33 accused are absconding, including Dawood Ibrahim.A special judge sentenced two convicts to death by hanging in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case while sparing Abu Salem the noose on Thursday. The blasts, which turned a Friday afternoon into a tragic weekend, had targeted prominent landmarks including the Air India building and Bombay Stock Exchange.The bombs were assembled in the garage at prime absconding accused Tiger Memon’s Mahim house and packed into cars and scooters, which were then parked at various spots by planters.The Supreme Court in 2013 commuted the death sentence given to 10 of the planters, calling them “bows” and the blast conspirators “the archers.”The Tada court, which began pronouncing the sentence a little past 12.30pm, first called out Karimullah Khan. His relief was palpable when he heard “life imprisonment” and a fine of a few lakhs. Salem was next and then Siddiqui. The two big punishments were pronounced last.CBI special counsel Deepak Salvi had sought death for four, including Karimullah Khan and Mustafa Dossa , brother of prime absconding accused Mohammed Dossa, held guilty of plotting the blasts. But Dossa died in custody on June 28 before the sentencing and the trial against him stood abated.At 1.01pm, pronouncing the first of two death sentences, the court said Merchant was to be “hanged by the neck until dead.”The court then read out a similar sentence against Feroz. While Merchant remained stoic, repeatedly wiping the sweat off his face, a visibly shocked Feroz sat down. The court said the duo were not to be hanged until the SC confirmed the sentences. On the accused’s knowledge of their crime, the judgment said, “RDX cannot be used as a powder to kill mosquitoes and flies, and it cannot be assumed that AK-56 rifles were being distributed in schools in Bombay as toys. The accused had knowledge about the offence.”The 11 loudly whirring fans in the courtroom were switched off before the pronouncement began to enable the lawyers, the media, CBI officers and the five convicts at the back to clearly hear the judge as he held their fate a sentence away. All five were also fined. But the court observed that since the fine amount was meagre and not adequate compensation for families of victims and the seriously injured, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) must recommend adequate compensation to be paid by the state to victims. The court directed the SP, CBI, to cooperate with DLSA.After the judge left the courtroom, Feroz and Karimullah scrambled to meet their lawyers present in the courtroom. Salem’s lawyers went to him, at the back. As cops resisted their attempts, Feroz said, “Pareshaan mat karo. Sirf lawyer se milna hain.”Their family members were not allowed in the courtroom but had to wait at the end of the corridor. While Merchant’s sister broke down, Qayyum Shaikh (60), the sole accused to be acquitted, arrived in court at 3pm and was seen consoling the accused. Although Siddiqui’s sentence will be set off against time spent in jail, he will continue to remain behind bars as his sentence in builder Pradeep Jain's murder case is awaited.On June 16, the court had convicted Salem, Merchant, Feroz and Karimullah on charges of criminal conspiracy, murder and acts of terrorism. Siddiqui was found guilty on the charge for abetting and aiding terrorism. Over two months, the court heard submissions on sentencing from CBI and defence advocates including Sudeep Pasbola for Salem and Merchant, Wahab Khan for Feroz and Farhana Shah for Karimullah and Siddiqui.Karimullah’s role was that he was present for the Shekhadi arms and RDX landing in February 1993 and had asked a co-accused to go to Pakistan for training. Siddiqui had gone in an empty vehicle to Bharuch, where arms were to be collected, but had not collected the arms (Salem later collected them). Merchant was concerned with sending men for arms and explosives training to Pakistan and attending conspiracy meetings in Dubai, while Feroz was involved in the Dighi arms landing in January 1993 and in conspiracy meetings in Dubai and arms transportation. The conspiracy charge against Salem could have attracted the maximum punishment but for the Portugal court order. Salem has also argued he cannot be jailed for more than 25 years, as assured by the Indian government.