1993 Mumbai serial blasts convicts walk out free

Mumbai, May 24: Sharif Adhikari and Rashid Alware, two 1993 Mumbai serial blast convicts, were set free today, six days of the court awarding them three years imprisonment.

The two were held guilty under the Indian Customs Act. Both of them were set free since they had already served three years in prison since their arrest. The two had offered their boats for transporting RDX.

Their counsel Subhas Kanshe said the two had spent three years and three months in jail. The court had awarded them three years imprisonment and fine of Rs 25,000 each. Both of them paid up the fine following which they were released from jail today.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the TADA court today issued notices to the police, directing them to furnish a report on the alleged manhandling of a city-based journalist by few blast convicts some days back.

The court also directed the police to provide adequate security arrangements to mediapersons who visit the TADA court for attending the proccedings on day-to-day basis. A large number of media persons today held demonstrations outside the court to condemn the assault on fellow journalist Anand Hulla.

UNI