Tada court acquits 23 serial bomb blast accused

Mumbai, May 9 (UNI) The designated TADA court today formally acquitted 23 accused, including three members of the Memon family, found not guilty in the March 12, 1993 serial bomb blasts case, starting the process of the final verdict.

Judge P D Kode, presiding over a designated TADA court, set them free after they appeared in the court this morning.

He fixed May 18 as the date from when he will start pronouncing the quantum of sentence for the 100, who have been found guilty by the special court.

As many as 123 accused faced the trial of which 23 were found not guilty. Out of the acquitted persons, only twenty were present before the court. Hanifa Memon, mother of prime absconding accused Tiger Memon, Devidas Bhule and Mohammad Ahmed Mansur were not present. The court, however, communicated their acquittal order to the advocates representing them.

On May 18, Judge Kode will also clear the pending petitions that have come before him since February this year. This include a petition filed by accused Zakir Hussain, who wants the court to view two CDs 'Father Son and Holy War' and 'Ram Ke Naam'.

On May 16, the court will pass confidential orders on the application filed by actor Sanjay Dutt and three others seeking relief under probation of offenders act.

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