1993 Mumbai blasts: Death for 2, but Portugal deal spares Salem the noose

Mumbai, Sept. 7 (Agencies): A court on Thursday jailed for life extradited gangster Abu Salem, convicted of involvement in the series of blasts in India’s financial capital in 1993 that killed 257 people.

Convicts Tahir Merchant and Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan were given the death sentence, while Karimullah Khan got life in jail and Riyaz Siddiqui ten years.

Salem had fled to Portugal, from where he was extradited in 2005 to face trial. While permitting his extradition, a Portugal court had said Salem could not be given death sentence. Portuguese law prohibits extraditing a criminal to a country where capital punishment is allowed.

In June, a court handling cases under the Terrorist & Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, had held six men, including Abu Salem, guilty of involvement in the blasts, but mastermind Mustafa Dossa died after being convicted.

One person, Abdul Quayyum, was let off for want of evidence.

Investigators had said the bombs were ordered by India's most wanted man, gangster Dawood Ibrahim, to avenge the demolition of the historic Babri mosque in north India by Hindu hardliners in 1992.

In its June 16 ruling, the court had held that the prosecution had proved that Salem was one of the main conspirators, and he delivered three AK-56 rifles, ammunition and hand grenades to actor Sanjay Dutt (convicted under the Arms Act in the earlier phase of the trial).

Salem, who was close to (absconding accused Dawood Ibrahim's brother) Anees Ibrahim and Dossa, took upon himself the task of bringing a part of arms and ammunition from Dighi to Mumbai, the court had said.

This was “vital towards achievement of the conspiracy so that the weapons could be used to terrorise and torment innocent citizens of India,” the court had said.

The trial of Abu Salem, Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Siddiqui, Merchant and Quayyum was separated from the main case as they were arrested subsequently.

The court had held that Merchant was amongst the main conspirators. Merchant worked with (absconding conspirator) Tiger Memon, participated in several conspiracy meetings in Dubai. Tahir made travel arrangements, financed the stay and travel of several co-accused and facilitated their training in Pakistan, the court noted.

The court had rejected Firoz's defence that he was not Firoz Khan but one 'Hamza.'

The court felt that the prosecution had proved that he was a prominent and ”trusted” member of the Dossa gang, and participated in all the “landings” of weapons organised by the Dossa brothers in Raigad district.

Firoz was present for negotiations with customs officers for smooth landing of arms and ammunition. He, with “vengeful perseverance in his sinew with a view to carry the blueprint of the plan into reality spearheaded the pre-landing arrangements,” said the June verdict.