3 members of Memon family get bail: SC

New Delhi, Sept 7: The Supreme Court granted bail to three members of the Memon family today in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blast case.

Essa and Yusuf brothers of prime accused Tiger Memon, and Tiger Memon's sister-in-law Rubina, who had been awarded life sentences, were granted bail today.

Another convicted person, Mubina Bhiwandiwala, was also granted bail. Mubina had been sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment.

While granting bail to all four, the apex court directed them to surrender after they received a copy of the judgement order from a TADA court in Mumbai.

The interim bail plea was heard by a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.

Rubina, Essa and Yusuf Memon were convicted on charges of abetment and conspiracy, and they had sought interim bail on the ground that they had not yet received a copy of the judgement relating to their conviction, which was pronounced on September 12, 2006.

The ground for bail is the same as that grnated to film star Sanjay Dutt. A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan had on August 20 granted relief to Dutt and five others accused.

Rubina, the wife of Tiger Memon's brother Suleiman Memon, was not given the death sentence because she was a woman. She was found guilty of allowing her Maruti van to be used for transporting weapons and arms, and also for allowing her flat in the Al Hussaini building to be used for a conspiracy meeting.

Yusuf and Essa were also found guilty for allowing their flat in the same building to be used for conspiracy meetings.

Essa has been diagnosed with brain tumour as well as morbid obesity, a reason for the trial court to award him a life term instead of the death penalty.

Yusuf, the youngest of the Memon brothers, was also spared the death penalty and awarded a life term on health grounds, as he is a known schizophrenic, needing constant medical attention.

Yakub Memon has been awarded a death sentence in the case.

Tiger Memon has been declared absconding, while his father Abdul Razzak Memon passed away during the trial.

ANI>