1993 Mumbai Blasts Case: Tahir, Feroz Sentenced To Death; Abu Salem, Karimullah Get Life Sentence 

Mumbai: Twenty-four years after the terrorists created mayhem in India's financial capital to damage the nation's image in the international community, a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activity (TADA) Court on Thursday sentenced two of the culprits to death and gangster Abu Salem to life imprisonment. Another terrorist Karimullah Khan, an associate of Tiger Memon, was also given the life sentence while another of their accomplice - Riyaz Siddique - got 10-year jail term.

TADA Court handed out death sentence to Tahir Merchant and Feroz Khan in the 1993 Mumbai Blasts case. Tahir was the one who sent Indian youth for weapons training to Pakistan. Feroz Khan was Dossa’s gang partner and ensured landing of arms and ammunition in Dighi. Khan managed police, customs and after the blasts destroyed the arms and ammunition.

Riyaz Siddique, who drove a car from Mumbai to Bharuch to deliver Maruti van and money to Abu Salem with special cavities inside the van to fit the arms and ammunition, was sentenced to 10-year jail term.

Salem had transported arms to Mumbai from Bharuch in Gujarat. He escaped to Portugal after the incident and was extradited from Portugal in 2005. An extradition treaty with Portugal does not allow for a death penalty, so he got away with life imprisonment.

The court gave Abu Salem gets 25-year life sentence. When he was extradited to India from Portugal, a treaty between both countries does not allow for a death penalty or sentence above 25-years in jail. He knew of the 1993 Mumbai Blasts conspiracy and participated actively in it. He bought arms and ammunition to Mumbai from Bharuch, Gujarat with the knowledge that it’ll be used for a terror attack.

The TADA Court handed out maximum term life sentence and Rs 2 lakh as fine to Karimullah Khan. A death sentence was sought for him. He was a close associate of prime accused Tiger Memon, who is absconding. He ensured smooth landing of RDX at Shekhadi in coastal Maharashtra. Karimullah will be in jail till he breathes his last.

What Happened On The Fateful Day In 1993?

At 1:30 pm on March 12, the first car bomb went off in the basement of the Bombay Stock Exchange building. The 28-story office building and surrounding structures were thoroughly damaged. About 50 were killed in this explosion. Over the next two hour 10 minutes, till 3.40 pm, car bombs and scooter bombs went off at regular intervals at many locations in the city. They were: the Fisherman's Colony in Mahim causeway, Zaveri Bazaar, Plaza Cinema, Century Bazaar, Katha Bazaar, Hotel Sea Rock, the Air India Building, Hotel Juhu Centaur, Worli and the Passport Office. Grenades were lobbed at Sahar Airport.

On March 12, 1993, the city of Mumbai was rocked by 13 explosions in different parts of the city. It resulted in 257 fatalities and over 700 were injured. According to some news reports, the death toll was over 300 and the number of injured stood at 1,400. It is the largest coordinated terror attack to have taken place on Indian soil in terms of the number of casualties. It is also one of the most well-planned terror attacks to have been perpetrated in India apart from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It was also the first terror attack on Indian soil in which RDX was used as the explosive material.