Three get life sentence in Mumbai triple blast case
Mastermind Saquib, 3 others get 10-yr term; 2 others jailed for 2 years
mumbai — Three of the 10 persons convicted last week for their role in the triple blasts case of 2002 and 2003 were sentenced to life imprisonment by a special terrorism court here on Wednesday.
Muzammil Ansari, who had planted the bombs, along with Farhan Khot and Dr Wahid Ansari, were sentenced to life by the court set up under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota).
Saquib Nachan, the mastermind behind the plot and the former head of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (Simi), was given a 10-year jail term, along with Ateef Mulla, Hasib Mulla and Gulam Khotal. Three others were sentenced to two years in jail.
The prosecution had demanded capital punishment for Muzammil and a life term for Saquib and Gulam as well.
The court had acquitted three persons involved in the case. Two other accused had died during the course of the trial. Six more persons wanted in the case are ab- sconding.
A dozen persons were killed and more than a hundred injured in a series of three blasts that shook Mumbai between December 2002 and March 2003. There were three other blasts in Mumbai, with other persons accused of triggering them.
Former Simi members led by Saquib joined hands with Pakistanbased Lakshar-e-Tayyba (LeT) to trigger off the blasts in Mumbai. The first blast occurred on December 6, 2002, at the McDonald’s outlet at Bombay Central station, in which 30 persons were injured.
More than a month later, the second blast occurred at Vile Parle, when a bomb placed on a bicycle exploded, killing one and injuring 32. The worst attack happened on March 13, 2003, when a bomb exploded in a crowded local train at Mulund, killing 10 and injuring 70.
The special court also penalised the convicts and part of the money was given to the district legal services body for distribution to the victims and dependents, and the remaining to Indian Railways.