Final phase of serial blasts judgement from May 9

Mumbai, May 6 (UNI) The special court, trying March 12, 1993 serial bomb blasts case, in which 100 accused were held guilty, may start delivering the final phase of the judgement from May 9.

TADA court sources and defence lawyers, associated with the case, said Judge P D Kode may start delivering the quantum of sentence from May 9 and the sentencing may go on for a few weeks.

Judge Kode has started delivering the judgement from September 12 last year.

On March 12, 1993 a dozen blasts seen as a retaliation of the demolition of Babri structure on December 6, 1992 and following the December 1992-January 1993 communal riots - rocked the metropolis, leaving 257 dead, 713 injured, besides damaging property worth Rs 27 crore. The blasts were engineered by fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and smuggler Tiger Memon at the behest of Pakistan's ISI.

The process of delivery of judgement commenced on September 12 and during the course of the last seven months, Judge Kode, who presides over a designated TADA court, held 100 persons guilty, while 23 others were found not guilty.

This is one of the biggest trials of Indian judicial history.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the prosecuting agency in the serial blasts case, has demanded 'maximum punishment' for all the accused, but urged the court to show leniency to three women convicts on compassionate grounds and for two male convicts, who suffer life-threatening ailments.

The CBI has demanded death penalty for 44 convicts, who were found guilty under section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) and TADA charges, life imprisonment for 42, who were convicted under TADA, and maximum punishment for nine, who were convicted under other Acts like Customs Act and Arms Act. For five others, three women and two who suffer from diseases, the court has been urged to take a considerate view.

The convicted include three brothers of prime conspirator Tiger Memon, those who planted the bombs at various locations and filmstar Sanjay Dutt. The actor, was however, held guilty under the provisions of Arms Act for possessing a 9-mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle. He was absolved of the charges of aiding and abetting terror.

MORE UNI