1993 Mumbai blasts sentencing as it happened: Abu Salem gets life; Tahir Merchant, Feroz Khan get death penalty

Abu Salem’s role in the 1993 blasts

The court had earlier held that prosecution proved Salem was one of the main conspirators and he delivered three AK-56 rifles and ammunition and hand grenades to actor Sanjay Dutt (convicted in earlier phase of trial under the Arms Act).

Salem, who was close to (Dawood’s brother) Anees Ibrahim and Dossa, took upon of himself to bring a part of arms and ammunition from Dighi to Mumbai, the court earlier said.

This was “vital towards achievement of the conspiracy so that the weapons could be used to terrorise and torment innocent citizens of India,” the court had said. — PTI

Salem’s life sentence will be converted to 25 years in prison only if govt commutes it: CBI special counsel

Salem had complete knowledge about the blasts. Only if Govt commutes, whole life will be converted to 25 years:DN Salvi, CBI Special Counsel

— News18 (@CNNnews18) September 7, 2017

Ball is in the court of govt of India: Ex-joint commissioner on Abu Salem’s life sentence

“The court has given a life sentence to Abu Salem. But the ball is in the court of the government of India,” YC Pawar, former joint commisioner, told CNN-News18.

Convicts will get set-off for the time they have served in jail: Ujjwal, Public Prosecutor on 1993 Mumbai Blasts case sentence pic.twitter.com/WEpaF0PzcU

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2017

The verdict so far

Karimullah Khan awarded life sentence, fine of Rs 2 alkh

Abu Salem awarded life sentence, fine of Rs 2 lakh

Tahir Merchant, Feroz Khan awarded death penalty

Riaz Siddiqui awarded ten years in prison

Roles of Tahir Merchant and Feroz Khan in the Mumbai blasts

According to CNN-News18, Tahir Merchant sent Indian youths for weapons training to Pakistan whereas Feroz Khan was Mustafa Dossa’s close aide and ensured arms and ammunition reached Dighi. Khan also manged police, customs and destroyed arms and ammunition after the blasts.

Feroz Khan also awarded death sentence: Reports

Riyaz Siddiqui sentenced to ten years in prison

1993 Mumbai blasts case: TADA court sentences convict Tahir Merchant to death, Riyaz Siddiqui sentenced to 10 years pic.twitter.com/LeIrqvVlS0

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2017

Tahir Merchant awarded death sentence: News18

Abu Salem cannot be kept imprisoned beyond 25 years: OP Chatwal tells News18

OP Chatwal, who led the eight-member CBI team to Lisbon to bring back Abu Salem, told News18 : “We had to give an assurance to Portugal that he will not be given death sentence. Without this assurance, he could not have been extradited. Once life imprisonment is given in Portugal, he cannot be kept imprisoned beyond 25 years. He has been convicted of 123 of IPC added with 302, and Section 32 of TADA. The maximum sentence is death sentence but this man cannot be awarded death sentence. This is because of the amendment in law in 1993. He is brought from a country where there is no death sentence. This was 1993 amendment into the Indian Extradition Act, 1962 and Section 34 (c) was added. This was needed because the government of India was facing problems in getting an accused extradited from a country where there was no death sentence. Hence this amendment acted as an assurance to those countries.”

Abu Salem awarded life sentence

Karimullah Khan a close aide of Tiger Memon

He was responsible for getting RDX for the Mumbai blasts, according to News18.

Karimullah Khan awarded life sentence and fine of Rs 2 lakh: News18

Abu Salem reaches TADA court

The quantum of sentencing will be pronounced soon.

Salem’s lawyer had claimed the extradited gangster wasn’t part of conspiracy

On 11 July, Abu Salem’s lawyer had argued before the special TADA court here that his client was not a part of the conspiracy which led to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

Seeking a lesser punishment for his client, Salem’s lawyer Sudeep Passbola had said there was no evidence that Salem was a part of the conspiracy, nor was there any evidence that he attended the meetings where the blasts were plotted.

There was nothing to show that he was even in contact with the masterminds of the conspiracy, advocate Passbola had said, adding, “Salem played a very limited role”.