Convicts break down

Mumbai, May 29 (UNI) Among the four dismissed Customs officials who were awarded sentences by the designated court today, some had come to the court-room carrying photographs of Lord Rama and Sai Baba hoping for mercy.

Dismissed assistant Customs collector, bespectacled R K Singh, had come with a book on Lord Rama. He heard the sentence quietly and left the witness box thereafter.

Sudhanu Talawekar, another dismissed Customs superintendent, had come carrying photographs of Sai Baba. He kept gazing at the ground and when the court pronounced the sentence, broke down and went to the docks along with other convicts.

Dismissed Customs inspector Jayant Grau urged with folded hands that he be awarded a mild punishment like the police constables who were also involved in the landing of the consignment. The court, however, pointed out that he had wanted to know from Tiger Memon whether the consignment contained silver and had, thus, made a mockery of his position. He, too, broke down when the court pronounced the sentence.

The youngest of the convicts to be awarded the sentence today was 33-year-old Zameer Qadri. He, too, was seen praying. The court while awarding the life sentence to him, pointed out that if he had not helped Tiger Memon in landing the consignment of explosives, the terrible blasts would not have occured. Qadri had been arrested with great difficulty and had been declared a proclaimed offender. He had carried a reward on his head.

''Now, I will have to spend my life within the four walls of the jail,'' he was heard muttering.

After the pronouncement of the sentences today, the total number of convicts in the blasts case who have been awarded punishment has risen to 43. There are a total of 100 convicted persons.

UNI