This Eid will be special for Qayyum
This Eid is going to be a memorable one for Abdul Qayyum and his family. While they had a mini celebration at the sessions court in the middle of holy Ramzan on Friday, special judge Justice G A Sanap acquitted Qayyum, who had spent at least a decade at the Arthur Road Jail, from all charges of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
Qayyum, the alleged manager of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, had returned from Dubai in 2007 and he was promptly arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) for his alleged role in the blasts that shook the nation’s financial capital in 1993.
“I am of the view that the material placed on record to prosecute him is not credible. The prosecution has failed to prove charges against him,” Justice Sanap said while acquitting Qayyum.
The special judge also asked the Arthur Road Jail authorities to release him on a surety of Rs. 1 lakh. Qayyum was also asked not to leave Mumbai till the final verdict of this case is pronounced.
Hundreds of people standing on the courtroom corridor greeted Qayyum with ‘Mubarak Ho’ as he came out. They had gathered to attend the high-profile case.
Qayyum’s cousin expressed happiness and said that justice has prevailed. He said this would the biggest Eid gift for them. “I can just say that justice has prevailed. We are happy that our brother will walk free without any charge against him now. This year’s Eid would be much special for our family,” he said.
Welcoming the verdict, Qayyum said, “I am thankful to Allah as he has proven me innocent. I just cannot express the feelings and emotions I am going through at this moment.”
According to the CBI’s case, Qayyum was instrumental in distribution of the arms and ammunitions that were brought from Dubai and Pakistan to harm the innocents in Mumbai and Surat.
The prosecution’s case against Qayyum was majorly based on the confessional statements of extradited convict Abu Salem. His role was “exposed” by Salem in his confession before the magistrate and the investigators.