A Mumbai court on Friday found Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Firoz Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui and Tahir Merchant guilty in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. The court said the four men were the main conspirators in the blasts.

However, Abdul Qayyum was acquitted of all the charges. The court also acquitted all the accused of the charge of waging war against the nation. The court’s verdict for Karimullah Shaikh has yet to be known. However, News18 reported that he has also been convicted in the case.

Salem and Khan were convicted under charges of conspiracy and murder. However, Salem was acquitted of some charges filed against him under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act. Dossa was found guilty of conspiracy, murder and terror activities in connection with the case. Merchant and Shaikh were also convicted in the case. Siddiqui was convicted under TADA and other charges, though the prosecution failed to prove conspiracy charges against him. The details of the verdict has yet to be made public.

Advertisement

While Dossa got weapons from Pakistan and Dubai, Shaikh and Khan organised the offloading of the consignment. Tahir arranged the travelling for the accused to procure arms and get training. Siddique is accused of providing logistical support.

Salem delivered the arms and ammunition at various places, including the house of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. The weapons were used in the attacks. The actor was convicted for his involvement in the case, and served jail term first during the trial and then from 2013 to 2016.

Besides the blasts case, Salem is also accused of murder and extortion in several other cases, reported Business Standard. He has already been sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of a Mumbai builder in 1995. He is currently lodged in Taloja jail, Navi Mumbai.

On March 12, 1993, at least 257 people were killed in 12 powerful blasts across Mumbai, which the Central Bureau of Investigation claimed were planned after the riots following the Babri Masjid demolition. Around 713 people were injured in the 12 explosions.