BOMBAY, 13 October 2006 — Justice P.D Kode, the designated judge of the Special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TDA) yesterday convicted four accused and acquitted one in the 1993 Bombay blasts case. Justice Kode held Shaikh Mohammed Ethesham, Shahnawaz Khan, Sharif Khan and Sujat Alam guilty on the charges of helping prime accused Tiger Memon in landing arms and RDX explosives at Shekhadi coast in Raigad district. The judge however acquitted another accused Ashfaq Qasim Hawaldar as the prosecution failed to provide convincing evidence against him.
Soon after delivering the verdict, the judge canceled bail of the four convicted and ordered the police to take them into custody. With the conviction of four more yesterday, the number of those found guilty has risen to 43.
Meanwhile, Justice Kode recorded the statements of the three fishermen, who owned fishing trawlers under the provision of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
Accused Yashwnat Nagoo Bhoinkar told the judge that he was 71 years old and prone to cardiac ailments and that he would produced necessary medical documents. Pleading for leniency, he said that the period that he had been behind bars after his arrest should be treated as imprisonment undergone and that he should be let off.
Abbas Shekhdare said that his trawler ‘Qurban’, was in a bad shape and that now he bought fish in the wholesale market and sold it to earn a living. His cousin and co-accused Shahjahan Shekhdare, said that his wife was suffering from diabetes and cardiac problems. He too pleaded for leniency.
Meanwhile, Indian and British police specializing in counter-terrorism will meet next month in Bombay to share their experiences in combating terror, a senior official said yesterday.
