Two convicts in the 1993 Bombay blasts case surrendered before the special Terrorists and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court on Monday after it issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against them. Zaibunissa Kazi (75) and Sharif Dada Parkar (80) were brought to the court in a stretcher and a wheelchair respectively. The NBW was issued as the two, citing ill health, failed to give them up within the deadline set by the SC.
Kazi, a Cancer patient, came to court in a wheelchair accompanied by her daughter Shagufta. She has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for her role in the blasts for housing a co-accused and arms and ammunition. Shagufta, while briefly speaking to the press outside the court, said her “ailing and harmless” mother was being punished for the crime while the main accused were still at large. “She is suffering from a killer disease and is in no way a threat to society. We request the government to consider her pardon application at the earliest,” Shagufta said.
Parkar has been sentenced to life imprisonment for helping and organizing the landing of RDX and arms at Shekhadi in Raigad district a few months before the blasts. He was brought directly from a hospital where he was admitted after suffering from cardiac arrest, lat week.
The police was however later directed to take the two in custody to serve the remainder of their sentence. As per procedure, Parkar would first be taken to Arthur Road jail following which authorities will decide whether to transport him to another prison or send him to a hospital.
