Landing agent Phanse is convicted of smuggling and transporting arms and explosives. He met Dawood at Dubai on February 21, 1993.
MUMBAI: The conviction on Friday of Dawood ‘Taklya’ Phanse — a frail, 73-year-old landing agent — in the 1993 blasts conspiracy holds the key to establishing underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s hand in the serial blasts.
Phanse, who can no longer walk without support, had confessed to meeting Dawood, an absconding accused, in Dubai in January 1993 to finalise the deal to land consignments of arms, ammunition, and explosives at Shekhadi in Raigad district.
Judge PD Kode held him guilty of the charge and convicted him of facilitating the smuggling and transportation of the consignments. Phanse’s partner, Sharif Abdul Gafoor Parkar aka Dadabhai, was also convicted on Friday.
According to Phanse’s confession, which was accepted by Judge Kode, he took an Air-India flight to Dubai on February 19, 1993. Ibrahim Mushtaq ‘Tiger’ Memon, another absconder, met him at the airport and checked him into Hotel Delhi Durbar.
On February 21, Tiger drove him to the ‘White House’, Dawood’s Dubai residence. “I recognised Dawood from the photographs I had seen in newspapers,” Phanse said in his confession.“Grinding his teeth, Dawood said ‘Apni Babri Masjid shahid ho gayi.
We have to take revenge’,” Phanse said. Dawood then told him that he would be sending “some chemicals, weapons and ammunition” by sea.
Phanse’s two partners, Parkar and Rahim Laundrywala, who helped in the landing, were also accused in the case.
While Laundrywala died during the trial, Parkar (73) was convicted on Friday of facilitating the smuggling of arms and explosives by arranging meetings with custom officers, and for transportation of the consignment.
Parkar, who has spent 13 years in prison, was acquitted of the main charge of conspiracy and of bribing custom and police officers. Judge Kode held that Parkar did not know the contents of the consignment, nor was there any evidence to show that he had personally paid bribes to the officers. “I will have to give him the benefit of doubt on those counts,” he said.
The first confessions made by Phanse and Parkar were accepted by Judge Kode. The subsequent confessions were disregarded as they were not recorded properly. According to Phanse’s confession, a total of Rs15 lakh was paid as bribes to various officials. Eight police officers accused of allowing the smuggling are expected to hear their verdicts next week.
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