A special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court on Thursday awarded death sentence to Tahir Merchant and Feroz Khan in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. The court awarded life imprisonment to Abu Salem and Karimullah Khan along with a fine of Rs 2 lakhs, while Riyaz Ahmed Siddique received a sentence of 10 years.
The court had convicted six terrorists – Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Firoz Khan, Mohammed Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Taklya, Karimullah Khan and Riyaz Ahmed Siddique in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Dossa died on June 28, just a few days after being convicted. The case against him has been closed.
“The convicts will get set-off for the time they have served in jail,” said Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on 1993 Mumbai Blasts case sentence.
Under TADA court rules, life imprisonment means forever. However, under the extradition law, the maximum term that can be awarded is 25 years. Now, the Government of India will decide Salem and Khan will get out of jail after 25 years or continue.
In 1993, 12 serial blasts rocked Mumbai that killed 257 and injured over 700 people. The incident introduced Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon to the world.
Dawood soon became India’s most wanted man. His name also features prominently the ‘most wanted’ lists of the US and the Interpol.
The Mumbai-blasts is the first terrorist attack in the world where RDX was used.
Abu Salem has been in jail for the last 15 years.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had requested life imprisonment for Abu Salem and another terrorist and death sentence for three.
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