MUMBAI: Over 50 accused in the 1993 Mumbai blast case raised their hands in court on Friday and asked Special Judge P.D. Kode to accept their letters of appeal. The letters narrated individual stories and all of them demanded death sentence after being convicted under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act. The letters were not taken on record and the accused were asked to leave the courtroom.

The courtroom was packed with all the accused, including film actor Sanjay Dutt and extradited gangster Abu Salem and the Memon family members. The media and lawyers, including defence lawyers, were taken by surprise when some of the accused tried to come forward and make an appeal. They gave out these letters in the open court to newspersons and tried to submit those to the court.

There was one general letter on behalf of everyone and at least 50 individual letters. The letter starts with a reminder of the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the communal riots that followed.

"In the riots Muslims were massacred not only by the Hindus but also by the policemen. Nothing happens to them. However, Muslims are picked up and booked in false cases and made to rot in jail till they die. The anti-Muslim saffronised lobby is further becoming red by Muslim blood," says the letter.

A letter written by Yusuf Kasam Khan appeals to the court saying he was the son of a freedom fighter and was not a terrorist. It says his children will be called children of a terrorist and he would be forced to live with the stigma. Shanawaz Khan, in his letter, says: "Your honour had granted me bail. I attended court regularly without caring for heavy rain and traffic for seven years. I am a true Indian. I and my wife with two small children cannot live with the label of terrorist." The other letters compared their cases with that of Sanjay Dutt. Yunus Gulam Rasul Borodia says: "Though no rifle was found at my instance, I was booked for a recovery which is not in my house. Yet I am convicted under TADA, whereas Sanjay Dutt who got AK 56 for self-protection is convicted only under the Arms Act."

All the letters end on a note that they be sentenced to death if they are going to be termed as terrorists. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said: "These are pressure tactics on the part of the accused and they hold no legal implication."

Earlier in the day, extradited criminal Abu Salem's lawyer Ashok Sarogi submitted to the court that his client be sent by air instead of train for his case in Delhi as he had a back problem.

However, Mr. Nikam said that procedures could not be changed for a criminal, and his security was the responsibility of the jail authorities.

He said one could not doubt their capability of transporting an accused safely. Regarding his back problem, the judge said a medical certificate should be submitted.

Another application regarding appointment of a probation officer in Sanjay Dutt's case was heard.

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