Life for acquitted accused is not that easy

Mumbai, May 27 (UNI) Life outside jail for the 23 acquitted convicts, accused in the March 12, 1993, serial bomb blasts case, is not easy as they find it difficult to earn their livelihoods.

As most of them have spent their lives as recluse, they find no way out.

Even the three members of the Memon family -- Suleiman Memon (his wife Rubina is a convict), his mother Hanifa Memon and Rahin Memon (her husband Yakub faces charges of conspiracy and is behind bars) -- stay indoors in a building at Mahim. Their only hope is that the four members -- Rubina, Yakub and his two brothers Yusuf and Essa (who had been convicted) -- get lesser sentences. The prosecution has demanded death penalty for them, except for Rubina, on compassionate grounds.

''Hanifa is confined to wheelchair and Rahin takes care of the home,'' says their lawyer Subhash Kanse. As far as Suleiman is concerned, he is running the home, from his previous investments.

Manzoor Qureshi, who originally hails from Rampur, stays in Naupada at Bandra. ''I was arrested, I got bail after eight years.

Today I have nothing. After eight years of my imprisonment, I used to go to court regularly. I used to have a butcher's shop and a hotel. Today I have nothing,'' says Qureshi, charged with visiting Dubai and then going to Pakistan. However, as arrangements could not be made, he returned from Dubai.

''When I was on bail, I tried for job, but could not secure because of the bomb blasts stigma. Now even after acquittal, I am not getting work,'' says Qureshi, who has to support wife and two kids and a paralysed mother. His father passed away few years ago and his 40-day-old son died after his arrest.

Sanjay Dutt's friend Ajay Marwah, who too has been acquitted is into his family business of theatres. After his arrest, he had spent more than a year behind the bars.

''I hope Sanju will also be clear off the charges and his plea of probation would be accepted, he has already been cleared of TADA charge,'' he said.

Shaikh Babulal Qasam works in Byculla, where he operates a lathe machine and simultaneously does the job of turner-fitter. He came out on bail after two-and-a-half years. After on bail, he married and fathered three kids.

''Even today people say he was arrested in the blasts case. The fact is, I have been acquitted. How long will I survive with the stigma?'' he wondered.

''When I was on bail, I was shot in my leg, the man was arrested and he is out today. I have left everything to Allah now,'' he said.

Abdul Aziz alias Aziz Chacha, now does petty construction work in Bandra. ''This stigma is going to be with me till I die,'' he said emotionally.

Mohammed Iqbal has set up a roadside stall and sells belt. ''It is because of grace of Allah, I am released. But in these 14 years, I have suffered a lot. People still suspect me,,,old friends have turned away,'' he said.

Mohammed Shakhil Shahbuddin Shaikh runs an autorickshaw. ''I used to work in a private firm. I now barely manage to get a few hundred rupees. I still shiver when I recall the past,'' he said.

Sultan-e-Rome Sardar Ali Gul now drives for defence advocate Oais Siddiqui. ''I was not getting a job, now I drive my lawyer's vehicle,'' says Gul, who sports a long beard.

Defence lawyer Farhana Shah, who secured release of maximum accused, said Ismail Patel runs an export-import firm, while Moinuddin Abdul Qadar Cheruvatam, now works as a travel agent. Anand Bhoir, who was a police-patil, is now engaged in construction business.

UNI