23 serial bomb blast accuses formally acquitted

Mumbai, May 9 (UNI) The designated TADA court here today formally acquitted 23 accused, not found guilty in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case.

Judge P D Kode, presiding over the designated TADA court, formally acquitted them after their appearance in the court.

With the acquittal, the process of final verdict began today.

Out of the 23 acquitted, only 20 accused were present before the court today. Hanifa Memon, mother of prime absconding accused Tiger Memon, Devidas Bhule and Mohd Ahmed Mansur were not present before the court. The court, however, communicatted their acquital order to the advocates representing them.

The court also turned down prosecution's plea to not release impounded passports of the 23 accused since it was not passing any stay order on the acquittal to enable the prosecution to file an appeal in the apex court.

The 23 blasts accused, who were formally acquitted by the court include Ajay Marwah, friend of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, Hanifa Memon, mother of Tiger Memon and his sister-in-law Rahin Memon.

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and other accused, who are out on bail, also appeared before the court today.

UNI