1993 Blasts Case: Dossa, Salem to be tried separately

Mumbai, Apr 3 (UNI) Mustafa Dossa and Abu Salem, who are accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, will face separate trials which are expected to commence soon.

Designated TADA court judge P D Kode had yesterday turned down the CBI plea to club the trials of Salem, Dossa and two others.

Dossa will, therefore, be tried separately. After conclusion of the trials, the court will conduct trials into the role of Salem and his accomplices -- Riyaz Siddiqui and Abdul Qauum Ansari -- in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

It may be recalled that 100 accused, including members of the Memon family who had masterminded the blasts and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, have already been convicted following conclusion of the main trials. However, Dossa, Salem and the two others were arrested by the CBI after conclusion of the main trials and, so, they will be tried separately.

Now, the CBI will furnish the list of witnesses on April 7 following which the court will issue summons. Dossa will stand trial first. According to legal experts, Dossa's trial is likely to conclude within a month's time as there are only a few witnesses.

Dossa, who has been deported from Dubai, is accused of actively participating in the blasts conspiracy and was also allegedly involved in the landing of weapons in Raigad district prior to the blasts on March 12, 1993 tha had left 257 people dead and 574 injured.

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