Memon's financer, another accused found guilty

Mumbai, Nov 16: The designated TADA court here today found absconding accused Tiger Memon's hawala operator Mulchand Shah, who had mobilised funds used in the blasts, and one of his associates guilty for their involvement in the serial blasts in the mdetropolis on March 12, 1993.

The court, however, did not find another accused, who had allegedly a meeting at Dubai where the conspiracy was hatched.

TADA judge P D Kode convicted Shah only under section 3 (3) of TADA but did not find him guilty under section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for participating in the conspiracy of the blast.

According to the prosecution case, Shah had facilitated and mobilised funds for Tiger Memon allowing him to operate his hawala account in the code name of 'Hati.' He had also harboured the blast accused and helped them to flee the country.

The court had convicted him while relying upon his and other co-accused's confessional statements.

Shah was on bail and taken into custody after he was found guilty.

The court also convicted Imtiyaz Ghawte, an associate of Memon and one of the key conspirators who had actively participated in the landing of the arms and ammunition at Shekhadi in Raigarh district.

He had also actively participated in the filling of RDX in a motor vehicle at the residence of Tiger Memon.

Ghawte was also accused of parking one RDX-laden scooter fitted with time-device detonator at Dhanji street in south Mumbai.

However, the blast did not occur. The court had convicted him under section 3 (3) of TADA and sections 307, 435, 436 and 120-B of the IPC.

He was also found guilty under section 4 (6) and 9 (6) of the Explosives Susbstances Act.

Ghawte, who was on bail, was granted time to surrender before the court till December 19, after he made an application stating that he was suffering from various ailments and required specialised treatment, which was not available in the jail.

UNI

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