MUMBAI, 20 July 2007 — An Indian anti-terror court yesterday sentenced three more men to death for their involvement in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai in 1993 which killed 257 people, prosecutors said.
Judge P.D. Kode of the special court set up under the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities Act handed down the death sentence against Asghar Muqadam, Shahnawaz Qureshi and Shoaib Ghansar.
Asghar, a former accountant of main accused Tiger Memon, and Shahnawaz Qureshi were given death penalty for parking a vehicle laden with deadly RDX explosives at Plaza Theater in central Mumbai that killed 10 people, injured 36 and damaged property worth tens of millions of rupees.
Shoaib, cousin of Asghar was found guilty of parking a two-wheeler loaded with RDX at Zaveri Bazar that killed 17 people and injured 57.
The sentencing raises to six the number to be sent to the gallows over the attacks, which were allegedly organized by Mumbai’s underworld in revenge for deadly Hindu-Muslim clashes a few months earlier.
“Asghar has argued that he was obeying orders... but he was aware of the main conspiracy,” judge Kode said. “People who come for recreation (to the cinema) faced death and injury.” Kode said that both Asghar and Shahnawaz were involved at each stage of planning and “cannot be pardoned.” Regarding Ghansar, Kode said, “He said his prayers to the Lord, seeking pardon, after planting an RDX-laden scooter at the jewelry market... being fully aware of the consequences.
“If one commits such an act, there can be no other penalty,” Kode said.
Police beefed up security yesterday again around the court as relatives of the accused packed the streets outside the court. The men were expected to appeal the sentences.
So far 84 of the 100 people convicted in the case have been sentenced, with six being given death sentences and 14 receiving life sentences, chief prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters.
The Supreme Court which has said the death penalty should be imposed only in the “rarest of rare cases” authorizes executions only occasionally. Death sentences are regularly delayed indefinitely or commuted by the president.
Nikam added that more bomb planters are expected to be sentenced today.
The alleged masterminds of the blasts, Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon, have been on the run since 1993. Indian investigators say they were helped by Pakistan’s intelligence service but Islamabad has denied any link.
The most high-profile figure caught up in the case, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, is set to appear in court tomorrow — although lawyers said his sentence may be handed out early next week.
The court is currently awaiting a probation report on Dutt.
