Tiger Memon aides' fate to be decided on Sep 25

Mumbai, Sept 24: A TADA court here tomorrow will decide the fate of two 1993 serial blasts accused, Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh and Naseem Parmare, close aides of prime accused Tiger Memon, for their involvement in the as well as throwing hand grenades at Sahar International airport here, which failed to explode.

The designated TADA court on Friday had directed the Superintendent of the Arthur Road jail to produce both the accused, when the verdict would be delivered since both of them are involved in the same case.

Both Shaikh and Parmare, who figure as accused nos 23 and 39 in the serial blasts accused list, were identified by the prosecution's witnesses and named by the approver. They had also given confessional statments to the police, which were later retracted.

Besides throwing hand grenades at the airport, on March 12, 1993, Shaikh had also parked an RDX-laden scooter at Naigaum, Dadar, in Central Mumbai, which also did not explode.

According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Shaikh along with Parmare, had thrown the grenades at the parking zone of the aircraft which did not explode.

Shaikh was allegedly driving scooter, while Parmare who was riding as pillion, threw the grenades. The two-wheeler was registered in the name of Razak Memon, the father of Tiger Memon, who was also an accused. He died few years ago while on bail.

Shaikh is a resident of Mazagaon in South Central Mumbai and Parmare hails from Bandra, a western suburb. They are lodged in jail for the past 13 years.

Shaikh who is receiving psychiatric treatment by the Arthur Road Jail medical department, was also charged for taking active part in the conspiratorial meeting held at the residence of accused Mubina Baya and others.

He had also undergone training for handling of deadly arms and ammunition in the training camp organised at Borghat and Sandheri villages in the Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Both were charged under the various sections of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and other acts. But, their charges are lesser as compared to the 11 other blasts accused who have so far been found guilty by TADA Judge P D Kode.

UNI