Date:26/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/26/stories/2007072660281100.htm

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Death sentence for bomb planter

Staff Reporter

MUMBAI: Farooq Pawle, 40, was resting on the lap of a constable as he was sentenced to death by the special TADA court in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case on Wednesday. He is the 11th person sentenced to death for planting bombs.

Pawle was found guilty of planting bombs in vehicles parked at two target sites on March 12, 1993. Consequently, 24 persons were killed and over 60 injured.

When special judge P.D. Kode called him, Pawle appeared weak and took the support of the accompanying constable. He faced the maximum number of charges in this trial.

Pawle participated in landing RDX, acquired weapons training in Pakistan, attended conspiracy meetings and was present during the filling of RDX in vehicles.

He did a survey of possible targets at the Bombay Stock Exchange building and the Air India building in south Mumbai.

He parked an RDX-laden car at the Lucky petrol pump near the Shiv Sena headquarters, Sena Bhavan. It exploded, killing four persons and left 50 injured.

The blasting of an Ambassador car, he planted along with some other accused persons near the Air India building, claimed 20 lives, besides causing injuries to over 80.

Judge Kode noted that Pawle was “involved in a number of acts,” including the explosions. “There cannot be any sentence adequate other than death.” He has also to pay a fine of over Rs. 2 lakh.

Unlike the three other accused who earlier expressed their anguish at the death sentence, Pawle quietly walked away with the help of constables.