Blast convict says he has spent more time in jail

Mumbai, Mar 1 (UNI) A blast convict today claimed he spent more time in jail than the actual sentence awarded to him under the Customs Act for his involvement in 1993 serial blasts case.

An application that came up for hearing before designated TADA Judge P D Kode, convict Abdul Rashid Alware urged the court to release him on bail as he had spent three years and 18 days in jail and that it was more than the maximum sentence under the Indian Customs Act which was three years or fine or both.

Defence Advocate Subhash Kanse and Farhana Shah, appearing on behalf of Alware, contended that the accused was convicted by the court on October 11 this year under section 111, 135-B of the Customs Act.

They argued Alware was granted bail by the court in 1996 after his arrest in March 1993. And after his release on bail, he was again taken into custody on October 11 when the court convicted him under the Customs Act.

The defence told the court that keeping the accused in custody beyond the imprisonment period would be a mockery of justice. Hence, he should be ordered to be released on bail, they said.

Judge Kode then directed the prosecution to file a reply on March 5 and adjourned the hearing.

According to the prosecution case, Alware had used his boat for the landing of the deadly RDX in the coastal area of Raigad district in Maharashtra.

Like Alware, five more accused - Janardhan Gambas, Yashwant Boikar, Sharif Adhikari, Abbas Adhikari and Shahjahan Shaikh Dare - were convicted under the Customs Act and have reportedly spent more time in jail than the imprisonment to be awarded to them.

The court had convicted 100 accused but it has not yet awarded punishment to them as the argument on the quantum of punishment is on in the TADA court.

UNI