SC rejects plea of blast case accused

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 6. The Supreme Court has rejected the special leave petition of Essa Abdul Razak Memon against the order of Designated Court, Mumbai refusing bail to him in the Mumbai serial bomb blast case. The blast in March 1993 resulted in the death of 257 persons, injuries to 713 persons and property worth several crores of rupees were lost.

A Bench comprising Mr. Justice G. B. Pattanaik and Mr. Justice B. N. Agarwal rejected the SLP. Essa Memon, brother of Tiger Memon, the absconding accused in the case, has been charged for criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist act punishable under the IPC, TADA and other offences.

According to the CBI, Essa Memon was resident of Al- Hussaini building, Mahim, Mumbai, where Tiger Memon and his family members were residing when they fled the country immediately before the bomb blasts. He was co-owner of the premises. Family members of Tiger Memon and Essa Memon left India on March 10/11 of 1993 and Tiger Memon departed in the early of March 12 after making all preparations for the blasts.

Various conspiratorial meetings were held in the premises jointly owned by Essa Memon and others. The bombs planted in the vehicles were also prepared on the night of March 11/12 in the compound of this building, which were exploded at various strategic places like Air India building, Bombay Stock Exchange, etc.

After the blast the whole Memon family went to Karachi from Dubai, where they acquired Pakistani passport, Pakistani national identity cards and Pakistani educational certificates in assumed names. They also acquired property and started business which showed that they were leading comfortable life there.

They even travelled to Bangkok utilising the Pakistani passports. Essa Memon was arrested by the CBI on August 25, 1994 on his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi.

He remained in police custody and subsequently in judicial custody.

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