93 blast convict Ghansar's relief, ray of hope for other convicts

Mumbai, Feb 24 (UNI) The stay granted by the Supreme Court on death penalty awarded to 1993 blast convict Mohammed Shoaib Ghansar has given a ray of hope to other such convicts.

There are 12 convicts, who have been awarded death sentence by the designated TADA court which had conducted the lengthiest trial in the history of the Indian Judiciary, lasting for 14 years.

Ghansar is the second such convict whose death penalty had been stayed. The apex court had earlier, stayed the death sentence of prime convict Yakoob Memon, brother of prime accused and absconding Tiger Memon, who had master-minded the 1993 serial blasts that killed 257 people.

Advocate Gulam Abass Kazmi, who was representing the blast convicts during the trails in the city, said in view of the latest order of the Supreme Court, most of the convicts can benefit and the sentence awarded to them can be stayed.

In 1991 when former Prime Minster Rajiv Gandhi was killed, the trial court had awarded capital punishment to 23 convicts involved in the case, but the apex Court had granted a stay and confirmed the sentences for only three convicts.

In a related development, Mobina Parkar, the fiancee of Ghansar, is hoping that he will be released soon.

Mobina, who is pursuing her studies in law, said she is preparing herself to assist a lawyer who will represent Ghansar during his appeal arguments in the apex court.

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