93 blast: 1more death sentence awarded

Mumbai, July 20: The designated TADA court here today awarded the death sentence to Mohammed Iqbal, held guilty in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Dismissed Customs collector Somnath Thapa and another convict, Bashir Ahmed Khairullah, were awarded life imprisonment. Designated TADA court judge P D Kode acceded to the request that Thapa be awarded lesser punishment as he is suffering from cancer and, so, sentenced him to life while observing, ''Law has due consideration for vital sicknesses.'' Mohammed Iqbal, held guilty on September 25 last year, is the seventh convict to be awarded the death sentence by the court.

He was held guilty of undergoing weapons training at Sandheri in Raigad district, for assisting in loading RDX in vehicles at the Al Husseni building, for aiding in hurling explosives at the Sahar international airport, and for parking an explosives-laden scooter at Dadar.

In the Sahar international airport incident, Iqbal had driven a motor-cycle with Naseema Barmare, who was sentenced to life on July 17, riding pillion. It was Barmare who had hurled the explosives which, however, had not caused harm to life or property.

Mohammed Iqbal had parked an explosives-laden scooter at Dadar which, however, had failed to explode.

While handing over the death sentence to him, judge Kode observed that Mohammed Iqbal's case was also the ''rarest of rare case'' as he had indulged in ''crime after crime''.

An unkempt Mohammed Iqbal appeared visibly sick and had to be brought to the court supported by two policemen. He told the court he was not well and had not been provided with proper medical treatment. The court also slapped a fine of Rs 3.17 lakh on him. The designated court awarded life imprisonment to dismissed customs collector Somanth Thapa who was held guilty on November 28 last year.

While awarding the sentence, the court observed that he had knowingly allowed the perpetration of the crime by allowing the landing of smuggled arms and explosives for a bribe. The court was awarding him life imprisonment as he is suffering from cancer, Judge Kode observed. The court slapped a fine of Rs two lakh upon him.

Thapa has already spent four years in jail and was out on bail which was extended on medical grounds. He was convicted under Section 120-B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3(3) of TADA.

Incidentally, he had survived an attempt on his life in 2001.

Thapa is the last public servant in the case to be awarded the sentence. Earlier, the court had convicted and sentenced five police personnel and three customs officials.

Soon after the sentence was awarded to him, Thapa moved an application urging proper medical treatment. He said he was taking treatment from a cancer specialist and had an appointment with his doctor on August 1. The court directed that he be lodged in the Arthur Road jail, which incidentally lodges mostly undertrials, and be subjected to regular medical check-ups at the government-run J J Hospital. The court also allowed Thapa to keep his appointment with his doctor on August 1.

The court also awarded the life sentence to Bashir Ahmed Khairullah for his involvement in the conspiracy. He had been held guilty on December 4 last year.

Khairullah had assisted in loading RDX in vehicles and had accompanied a group of co-convicts to hurl hand grenades at the Mahim fishermen's colony.

An electrician by profession, Khairullah had also thrown a hand grenade but it had failed to explode as the fuse was not properly removed. Thereafter, Khairullah had made no further attempts to throw hand grenades. However, the hand grenade attack by the co-convicts had led to the death of three fishermen and had left six injured. The court slapped a fine of Rs 2.25 lakh upon Khairullah.

UNI