March 12 brings back grim reminders of serial blasts

Mumbai, Mar 12 (UNI) The day brought grim reminders of the March 12, 1993, serial blasts in the metropolis that had left 257 people dead and scores injured.

The completion of thirteen years of those gory blasts was refreshed by the finding of explosive materials in a water bottle at the Byculla railway station here this morning.

On this day thirteen years back, Mumbai was rocked by blasts at several places including the Stock Exchange, the Air India building, the Centaur and Sea Rock hotels, the Naigaum police headquarters, the Worli passport office and the Plaza Cinema at Dadar here.

The blasts had left 257 people dead and 713 injured besides destroying properties worth crores of rupees.

The conspiracy was hatched by the ISI and allegedly masterminded by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon.

As many as 126 accused are facing trials, including cine actor Sanjay Dutt and members of the Memon family. Ninety-two of the accused, including Dutt, are on bail, while 36 of them are in custody -- all of them having been charged under TADA.

The trials into the case commenced on June 30, 1995, and has been described as the lengthiest trial in the history of the judiciary.

As many as 686 witnesses were examined while the evidence recorded ran into 14,000 pages.

When the trial was at its fag end and when the judgement was expected, the deportation of two accused Mohammed Dossa and Ejaz Pathan from Dubai led to a delay in the delivery of the judgement.

It has been contended that the two should also be tried along with the other accused and not separately.

The deportation of underworld don Abu Salem from Portugal has been another major development in the case, Salem first confessed that he had supllied weapons to Sanjay Dutt but later retracted the statement saying his confession had been made under pressure from the CBI.

Designated court judge P D Kode has directed the CBI to file a say with respect to the allegation by March 14.

UNI XR MAZ PA HT2212