A special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court here on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to three convicted in the triple blasts of 2002-2003.
Additional Judge P.R. Deshmukh sentenced Muzammil Ansari, Dr. Wahid Ansari and Farhaan Khot to life imprisonment.
The former SIMI general secretary, Saquib Nachan, who the prosecution said was a key accused in the case, was sentenced to 10 years in jail, along with Ateef Mulla, Hasib Mulla and Gulam Khotal. Noor Malik, Anwar Ali and Muhammed Kamil were sentenced to two years.
On March 29, the court convicted 10 persons and acquitted three.
On December 6, 2002, a bomb had exploded at the Mumbai Central railway station, next to McDonalds, injuring 27 persons.
On January 27, 2003, one woman died and 32 persons were injured when a bomb planted on a bicycle exploded in the market area of Vile Parle station.
On March 13 that year, a bomb exploded in the first class ladies compartment of a Karjat-bound train that had just reached Mulund. The blast claimed the lives of 11 commuters and injured 82.
All 13 accused have been charged with murder, attempt to murder, causing grievous injuries, waging a war against the nation and criminal conspiracy and arms possession.
They were booked under the Indian Penal Code, the Indian Railways Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the POTA.
The court recorded: “If one appreciates mitigating circumstances on the one hand and aggravated on the other, I am of [the] view that to award capital punishment to accused 11 [Muzammil Ansari] just falls short of the rarest of the rare case. Therefore, I am not inclined to endorse the punishment of death sentence to the accused. At the same time, considering all above stated facts and circumstances which came on record, I am of the view that it will be appropriate to award sentence of imprisonment to the accused for the rest of his life.
“While considering the case of the accused for not awarding death penalty and instead awarding imprisonment for the rest of his life, I am of the view that if a person is hanged, within a fraction of second his life comes to an end and he does not realise or feel mental, emotional and physical agony which victims of the crime or dependents of the deceased suffered or are suffering for their whole life.”
The court directed the District Legal Services Authority to decide on the quantum of compensation to be awarded to the victims and the dependents of those who died in the blasts. Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian had demanded capital punishment for Muzammil Ansari and sought life imprisonment for Saquib Nachan, Gulam Khotal, Farhaan Khot and Dr. Wahid Ansari.
The trial began in 2014 when charges under the POTA were applied to all the accused. During the trial, the prosecution examined 153 witnesses and the defence 30 witnesses.
