Convict shouts & apologises; 2nd declines to record statement

Mumbai, Sep 26 (UNI) A person, convicted of involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, today started shouting in a TADA court here, alleging he was being wrongly punished, while the second refused to record his statement on the quantum of sentence, saying he was not well.

Nasim Barmare, found guilty yesterday of lobbing hand-grenades at the Sahar International Airport here on March 12, 1993 when serial bomb blasts in the city killed 257 people, started shouting in the court of Mr Pramod Kode , alleging he was being wrongly punished. The grenades had not exploded and hence no body was hurt in the crime, he contended.

The court , which will pronounce punishment after hearing the arguments of the defence and prosecution, pointed out to him that he was convicted on the basis of the material produced before it.

After the angry outburst, Barmare, with folded hands, pleaded he should be pardoned for shouting in the court, and prayed for a lesser punishment, so that he could take care of his aged mother.

He implored the court to take into consideration more than 13 years he has spent in jail, while deciding quantum of his punishment.

Mohammed Iqbal Shaikh, found guilty of obtaining arms training in the adjoining Raigad district, loading RDX in vehicles parked at various targets, and planting an RDX-laden scooter in Naigaum in Dadar that did not explode, refused to record his statement, saying he was not well.

Apparantly irritated, Shaikh asked the court staff as to why he was being called to the court repeatedly. ''I should not be disturbed as I am not well,'' he added before stepping out of the witness-box and sitting in a chair meant for the accused.

Following his refusal, Mr Kode asked defence counsel, Farhana Shah, to record the statement of her client and submit it before the court.

UNI XR SA VD BD1922