On March 12, 1993, 12 bombs exploded at several locations in what was then Bombay, killing 257 people and injuring 713 while destroying property worth Rs 27 crore.
Twenty-four years later, a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Protection) Act (TADA) court on Friday convicted Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari, Mustafa Ahmed Umar Dossa alias Mustafa Majnu, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Taher Mohd. Merchant alias Taher Taklya, Karimulla Osan Khan alias Karimullah Hussain Habib Shaikh and Riyaz Ahmed Siddiqui under sections of the TADA, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Arms Act and the Explosives Act for perpetrating the blasts. It, however, acquitted Abdul Qayum Karim Shaikh of all charges.
Pronouncing the judgment in a courtroom packed with lawyers and reporters, special Judge G.A. Sanap acquitted all the seven of waging war against the Government of India under section 121 of the IPC. It, however, held that all those convicted wanted to take revenge for the Babri Masjid demolition and Bombay riots and conspired to kill Hindus and Hindu leaders.
Abu Salem and five others were convicted for terrorist acts and possession of certain unauthorised arms. They were also convicted for criminal conspiracy.
The court said Abdul Qayoom Karim Shaikh "is not guilty", as the prosecution had failed to prove the charge of conspiracy and the evidence to hold him is not credible.
Roles of accused as per the prosecution
Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari, extradited from Portugal, is one of the main conspirators, and was very close to co-accused Anis Ibrahim Kaskar (Dawood’s brother). He facilitated the transportation and supply of arms and ammunition for terrorist activities.
Mustafa Ahmed Umar Dossa alias Mustafa Majnu was extradited from the UAE. He acted to achieve the object of a conspiracy hatched in Dubai to take revenge for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, for which arms and ammunition were sent to India.
Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan , a loyal partner of Dossa, had knowledge of all criminal activities of the gang. He was a participant of the main conspiracy from the beginning and, therefore, was one among the main conspirators.
Taher Mohd. Merchant alias Taher Taklya conspired, advocated and knowingly facilitated and commissioned terrorist acts and acts preparatory to terrorists acts.
Karimullah Osan Khan alias Karimullah Hussain Habib Shaikh knew about the deadly effects of the RDX, arms and ammunition, and facilitated the landing of the material.
Riyaz Ahmed Siddiqui was working in close proximity with the main conspirators towards achieving the objective of the conspiracy, therefore placing him a rung well up in the category.
Abdul Qayoom Karim Shaikh smuggled weapons into India at a time when Bombay was already engulfed in unrest. The prosecution failed to prove the charge of conspiracy against him.
Main accused absconding
Although main accused Dawood Ibrahim, Anees Ibrahim, Tiger Memon and Mohammed Dossa are absconding, the trial of these seven was taken up separately after the TADA court in 2007 convicted 100 and acquitted 23. The hearing in this case began in 2007, but was delayed as petitions filed by Dossa, Salem and the CBI were pending with the Supreme Court. This trial then resumed in 2012 and concluded this March.
Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salvi said: “During the period from December, 1992, to April, 1993 at various places in Bombay, Raigad, Thane, Dubai (UAE) and Pakistan, they allentered into a criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in India.
''They have and agreed to commit illegal acts, with an intent to overawe the Government as by law established, to strike terror in the people, to alienate sections of the people and to adversely affect the harmony amongst different sections of the people, i.e. Hindus and Muslims by using bombs, dynamites, hand grenades and other explosives substances like RDX or inflammable substances or fire-arms like AK-56 rifles, carbines, pistols and other lethal weapons.
“This was done in a manner to cause death or injuries to any person, loss or damage to and disruption of supplies of services essential to life. To achieve objectives of conspiracy, they have all agreed to smuggle fire-arms, ammunitions, detonators, hand grenades and high explosives like RDX into India and to distribute the same for the purpose of committing terrorist acts.”“To organize training camps in Pakistan and in India to import and undergo weapons training in handling of arms, ammunitions and explosives to commit terrorist acts.
''To harbour and conceal terrorists/co-conspirators, and also to aid, abet and knowingly facilitate the terrorist acts and/or any act preparatory to the commission of terrorist acts and to render any assistance financial or otherwise for accomplishing the object of the conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, to do and commit any other illegal acts as were necessary for achieving the aforesaid objectives of the criminal conspiracy and that on 12.03.1993 were successful in causing bomb explosions."
