Date:10/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/10/stories/2007051003311200.htm

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1993 Mumbai blasts case: 23 acquitted

Staff Reporter

Judge to pronounce sentences for the 100 convicted from May 18 onwards

MUMBAI: The pronouncement of sentences began in the 1993 Mumbai blasts trial when the designated judge P.D. Kode formally declared 23 of the 123 undertrials free and acquitted, 14 years after the serial blasts killed over 200 people and injured over 700 on March 12 1993. The freed include Raheen Memon, wife of Yakub Memon, Suleiman Memon, and three police constables. Judge Kode said that he would "start pronouncing sentences for the 100 convicted from May 18 onwards."

Expresses displeasure

Film actor Sanjay Dutt, dressed in his trademark blue shirt, quietly sat in his usual corner in the courtroom. As the proceedings started, defence counsel Subhash Kanse told the court that Hanifa Memon, mother of the Memon brothers, would not be attending the court, as she was medically unfit. She was one of the three accused, who were acquitted but not present on Wednesday. The other two were Devidas Ghule and Mohammad Manzoor. Judge Kode expressed displeasure over their absence.

Later he called all the remaining 20 accused to the box and declared them acquitted of all charges. While some looked visibly relieved, the others walked back to their seats and left the courtroom to complete other formalities related to bail bonds.

"God has blessed me"

Though mediapersons waiting outside the court premises since early morning tried to speak to them, not many spoke. The Memons did not speak to the media at all. Referring to Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Marwah, one of the acquitted, said, "God has blessed me. I hope Sanju too would be free soon." The three suspended police officials posted in Raigad during the time of passage of RDX into Mumbai, said they wanted to go back to their homes in Raigad soon and would like to work again.

The 20 acquitted are Suleiman Memon, Hanifa Abdul Razzak Memon, Raheen Yakub Memon, Ashfaq Havaldar, Police Constables Krishna Mokal, Krishna Pingle, Manohar More, Mansoor Qureshi, Shaikh Kasam Babulal, Sultan-e-Rome Ali Gul, Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim, Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadar, Ruksana Zariwala, Mohammed Ahmed Mansoor, Moiuddin Cheruvatam, Ismail Patel, Anant Bhoir, Shakeel Shahbuddin Shaikh, Devidas Ghule, Sayed Ismail Kadri, Fazal Rehman Khan, Murad Khan, Ajay Marwah.

They were charged with different offences like conspiracy, aiding in funds, training in Pakistan, landing of RDX and other ammunition. Marwah was charged with hiding Sanjay Dutt's revolver.

Just after the acquittals were formally announced, accused no.32 Zakir Hussain filed an application requesting the court to "procure and view" the national award winning documentary, Father, Son and the Holy War by filmmaker Anand Patwardhan before pronouncing the sentences.

Hussain, who is convicted for throwing hand grenades at the Mahim Fishermen Colony on March 12 1993, faces up to 10 years.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam strongly opposed the application and said: "The delivery of judgment had started in September and even after eight months it is not over because of the applications filed by the accused. They wish to delay this trial as they want to stay as undertrials because of the amenities they get. Anand Patwardhan has never deposed before the court and the application cannot stand at this point."

Reserves order

Judge Kode has reserved the order on all the applications including the one on behalf of 69 accused demanding parity with Sanjay Dutt and Dutt's application for probation for good conduct for May 16.