'93 serial blasts order to begin from August 10

Mumbai, July 27: The designated TADA court in Mumbai will begin dictating the order in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case from August 10 after a long wait of 13 years.

The Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court judge P D Khode today directed all the 135 accused to remain present in the court on August 10 and not to leave the jurisdiction of the court.

Eighty-six accused in the serial blasts, including Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and few gang members of the prime accused Tiger Memon are on bail. However, 37 accused, including extradited gangster Abu Salem, prime accused Yakub Memon and others are in custody.

Thirteen bomb explosions rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993 in which 257 people died, about 700 were injured and properties running into crores of rupees were destroyed in the blasts.

One of the longest trials in the Indian judiciary, the 1993 blasts case began in 1995 and concluded in 2003, after examining hundreds of witnesses and going through evidences of two accused who had later turned approver in the case.

UNI