1993 Mumbai blasts: Justice delayed, but not denied

A crowd snaked outside the Kala Ghoda court Friday morning as each person looking to enter the premises was checked thoroughly by an unusually strong security bandobast. Inside, Courtroom No 54 was packed to the rafters with lawyers, mediapersons, and police officers in anticipation of Judge Govind Sanap's verdict in Part-B of the 24-year-old Mumbai serial blasts case.

The first of the accused, the ones who had been housed in the iconic Arthur Road Jail, arrived at 10.40 a.m., while a second group from Taloja Jail reached the court at 1130 a,m.

Justice Sanap, who has been hearing the case since 2011, started passing his order at about 12.20 p.m., finally bringing some sense of closure to an event that sharply delineated communal fault lines in what was ostensibly the country's most cosmopolitan city.

Although the accused were initially calm, that veneer started to crumble as the court started naming each of them and the verdict against them. Riyaz Siddique, who was charged with arranging hollowed-out vehicles for transporting the bombs, was chanting verses quietly. Of the seven accused, five were held guilty under the stringent TADA Act, along with conspiracy charges; one was acquitted of conspiracy, while another was acquitted of all charges.

Initially unable to express his feelings openly among his fellow accused, Qayoom Karim Shaikh was happy when he got a chance to speak to the reporters. "Aap ko chai pe bulaunga (I will invite you to tea)," he told a gaggle of mediapersons.

While the other accused were upset, they maintained their composure, except Mustafa Dossa, who was clearly fuming with anger. When a DNA correspondent asked Dossa for his reaction, he snapped that he did not wish to talk.

Siddique, free from the fear of the noose. Said he has trust in Allah, even though he was unhappy about the blot that remains on his name.

The relatives of those acquitted were obviously a relieved lot. Qayoom's brother lauded his brother's acquittal, saying "It's a good decision and we are happy with it. Our faith in our judiciary has been restored. We are preparing ourselves for his release."

Siddique's son Fawad said "We are happy that, the court has acquitted him of one charge but we are hoping for the best, My father has already spent almost 12 years in jail. We shall appeal against the Sessions court's decision before the Bombay High Court."

Meanwhile, the wife of Feroz Khan, who was also charged with conspiracy, said, "I am not able to understand anything. It is a really difficult situation for us, I have kept our children at home as I don't want them to witness this. They would be shocked. However we will appeal against the orders."

Her husband, meanwhile, told DNA that the judgment was a mockery of justice.

Mustafa Dossa's son Shahnawaz was seen crying bitterly outside the court. "My life is finished. What will I do without Abbu?" he cried aloud.

Following the family meet, which the court had permitted after passing its orders, all the family members were asked to leave the court, as all the accused had to be driven back to their jail cells. However after the accused left the court, Mustafa Dossa came running back as he had left his packet of cigarettes under the chair of the security guard posted at the door of the courtroom. How he got cigarettes inside the jail, of course, anyone's guess.

HIGH ON EMOTION

• The first of the accused, the ones who had been housed in the iconic Arthur Road Jail, arrived at 10.40 a.m., while a second group from Taloja Jail reached the court at 1130 am.
   
• Justice Sanap, who has been hearing the case since 2011, started passing his order at about 12.20 p.m., bringing closure to an event that sharply delineated communal fault lines in the country’s most cosmopolitan city.

TIMELINE

• March 12, 1993
  A series of 12 explosions rock Mumbai resulting in 257 fatalities and injuries to 713 others.
   
• March 14, 1993
  The breakthrough in the investigation is achieved with the recovery of an RDX-laden Maruti van registered in the name of Tiger Memon’s sister-in-law.
   
• April 19, 1993
  Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt (accused number 117) arrested.
   
• November 4, 1993
  Over 10,000 page-long primary charge sheet filed against 189 accused, including Dutt.
   
• April 10, 1995
  26 accused discharged by the TADA court. Charges framed against the remaining accused.  Supreme Court discharges two more accused – travel agent Abu Asim Azmi (Samajwadi Party leader) and Amjed Meher Baux.
   
• April 19, 1995
  First leg of trial commences.
   
• September 18, 2002
  Abu Salem detained in Lisbon, Portugal.
   
• November 11, 2005
  Salem extradited to India.
   
• December 9, 2005
  Charges framed against Salem.
   
• June 13, 2006
  Abu Salem’s trial separated.
   
• May 9, 2007
  Court formally acquits 23 accused
   
• July 18, 2007
  First death penalties in the case for Parvez Nazir Shaikh, Mushtaq Tarani and Abdul Gani Turk pronounced
   
• July 31, 2007
  Epic trial ends. Justice PD Kode wraps up the 14 year long case. Dutt six years RI.
   
• July 30, 2015
  Yakub Memon is hanged.

24 years later, witnesses speak out

Century Bazaar

Witness: Girijashankar Dubey
Age: 48
Occupation: Taxi Driver
I was half a kilometer away from the site of the blast. People were running helter-skelter and there was utter confusion. I was devastated, so much so that the sound still continues to linger in my mind. The verdict should have been given earlier, there was no point in dragging the case for two decades.

Bombay Stock Exchange Building

Witness: Vinod Zaveri
Age: 75
Occupation: Machinery Trading
The glass of the BSE building shattered and the sound was deafening. At first, I didn’t quite understand what had happened. The site of the dead bodies was traumatic. It comes as no surprise that the case had been dragged for so long.

Witness: Shivdut Dhurya
Age: 42
Occupation: Driver
I was young. A fatal injury would have altered the course of my life. Thankfully, I suffered only minor injuries. Others around me weren’t that lucky, some died and others were badly injured

Zaveri Bazaar

Witness: Harshad Rai
Age: 76
Occupation: Shopkeeper
Justice although delayed, has been served. I support of the court’s decision. We’ll pray for them to be hanged. Only then will we get closure.

Witness: Praful Mehta
Age: 71
Occupation: Shopkeeper
I was present during both terror attacks at Zaveri Bazaar. We had to rush people to GT and Saifee hospitals because the ambulance and the police had arrived 30 minutes late. Many lost their lives in the attack. So, justice was needed.

Fisherman’s Colony, Mahim

Witness: Fakruddin Shaikh
Age: 46
Occupation: Shopkeeper
A few of my near and dear ones were affected by the blasts. The city came to a standstill. I get chills when I think about the devastation the blasts had caused.

Witness: Nandakumar Kenny
Age: 48
Occupation: Railway Technician
Within a few hours, the city was brought to a halt. I was distraught, but time has been a great healer. The convicts should be hanged, because they have robbed families of their loved ones.