2 awarded death penalty for 1993 blasts

Mumbai, July 18: The designated TADA court here today awarded death sentences to Parvez Naseer Sheikh and Mohammed Mushtaq Tarani for their role in jthe 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

The two are the first to be awarded the death sentence in the case so far. The court has held 100 persons guilty in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and has awarded sentences to 80 of them till today. Among them, Sheikh and Tarani have been awarded the death sentence, fourteen others have been sentenced to life while the rest have received varied sentences.

Sheikh was held guilty of planting explosives at Katha Bazar in South Mumbai, the explosion of which had led to four deaths and left 21 injured. Property worth over Rs 37 lakh had been destroyed in the blast.

He was also held guilty of planting explosives at the Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra here. However, there was no loss to life or property in this explosion.

While awarding the death sentence upon Sheikh, TADA court judge P D Kode observed that the convict's act had brought 'disgrace to the Muslim religion.' However, defence counsel said the act was prompted out of the desire to take revenge for the communal clashes in Mumbai.

Tarani was held guilty of parking an RDX-laden scooter at Shaikh Memon Street. However, the this had not exploded and thus no loss of life or property was caused.

Tarani had also planted an RDX-laden suitcase at the Centaur Hotel here, causing a huge explosion leading to the destruction of property worth lakhs of rupees. There had been no harm to life in this blast.

Meanwhile, the TADA court has summoned planters of explosives tomorrow, while the fate of cine actor Sanjay Dutt will be decided thereafter.

UNI