Accused in 1993 serial blast confesses to smuggling of explosives

Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blast case, has in his confession said he had smuggled arms and explosives in January 1993 in the city.

Khan in his 20-page confession, which forms part of the over 1000-page chargesheet filed by CBI against him on July 1, said he was in Mumbai during the March 1993 serial bomb blasts and two days after the blasts he received a call from Mohammad Dossa, wanted accused in the case, directing him to dispose off the arms.

According to the confession, Khan was involved in smuggling of gold and silver as also arms and explosives at the instance of fugitive Dawood Ibrahim at that time.

Khan, who was arrested in February this year, has been accused of playing a crucial role in the landing of arms and explosives used in the blasts.

After the blasts, he allegedly fled to Nepal and using a bogus Nepali passport under the name Ferozuddin Hamza travelled to Duabi and Oman too. Khan has also admitted in his confession to have met Dawood at Clifton in Pakistan.

Incidentally, Khan, retracted his confession last month before the special TADA court that will conduct his trial.

In 2007, special TADA Judge Pramod Kode had convicted 100 accused including actor Sanjay Dutt in connection with the 1993 blasts. There were a series of 13 powerful explosions at various places in Mumbai on March 12 killing 250 persons and injuring several others.