BOMBAY, 27 September 2006 — Five policemen, including a suspended police sub-inspector and four constables, were yesterday found guilty of their involvement in the 1993 serial bomb blasts in Bombay. The men are scheduled to provide their please in a sentencing hearing scheduled to begin today.
Three other constables were acquitted by a special anti-terror court.
Judge P.D. Kode held police sub-inspector Vijay Patil, constables Ashok Muleshwar, P.M. Mahadik, Ramesh Mali and S.Y. Pashilkar guilty of allowing smooth passage of arms and ammunition from Raigad to Bombay. Constables Krishna Mokal, Krishna Pingle and Manohar More were acquitted of the same charges. The officer had been suspended prior to the trial and later dismissed from service.
The convicted policemen were charged with conspiracy and aiding and abetting terrorist activity. They were found guilty of accepting one million rupees ($21,750) in bribe from Uttam Potdar and customs inspector Gurav for clearing trucks loaded with RDX explosives, arms and ammunition allegedly smuggled in from Pakistan to get through a police checkpoint at Ghondgar Gate.
