SC grants bail to five in '93 Mumbai blasts case

New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) The Supreme Court today granted bail to five convicts and dismissed the bail applications of four people, including a woman, who have been awarded life imprisonment for their active involvement in the '93 Mumbai serial bomb blasts conspiracy.

A Bench, comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal granted bail to Khalil Ahmed Sayed Ali Nazir, Shahnawaz Hajwani, Mujib Sharif Parkar, ex-custom officer Sudhanwa Sadashiv Talavdekar and Ehsan Mohammad Tufel Qureshi.

Khalil Ahmed Sayed Ali Nazir has already undergone eight years of imprisonment out of ten years awarded to him.

However, the apex court dismissed the bail applications of Rubina Suleman Memon, sister-in-law of main conspirator Tiger Memon, Zamir Sayed Ismail Kadri, Sardar Shahwali Khan and Muzamil Umar Kadri.

All the four had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Tada Court Mumbai after having been found guilty in the '93 Mumbai blasts.

The court has directed the authorities to set up a medical board to examine Yusuf Abdul Razak Memon, brother of Tiger Memon, who according to the CBI needs psychiatric treatment.

The apex court also issued notices to the CBI on the application of four others including an ex-custom officer Sudhanwa Sadashiv Talavdekar seeking suspension of their sentences and release on bail during pendency of their appeal.

In all, 123 accused were booked in the case, in which 200 lives were lost when the commercial capital of the country was rocked on March 12, 1993 by a series of bomb blasts.

Main conspirator Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon of Saudi Arabia had been declared absconders.

UNI AKS/SC GT RP HT1928