<p>Two former members of the crime syndicate of Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim on Thursday was sentenced to death for their role in the 12 March 1993 serial blasts case.<br /><br />However, notorious gangster Abu Salem managed to escape with a life term because of an undertaking from the Indian government to Portugal during his extradition as he would not be sentenced to capital punishment.<br /><br />Additional Sessions Judge GA Sanap, who presides over a special court set up under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) handed out the sentences against five convicts at a jam-packed court room in the Mumbai Sessions Court.</p>.<p>On 12 March 1993, 12 bombs exploded at several locations in what was then Bombay, killing 257 people and injuring 713 besides destroying property to the tune of Rs 27 crore. This still remains one of the worst incidents of terrorism in any metropolitan city across the world.<br /><br />Judge Sanap handed out capital punishments to Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Taklya (55) and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan (47) for being part of the conspiracy.<br /><br />Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari (50) and Karimullah Khan (55) had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the court.<br /><br />Riyaz Ahmed Siddiqui (67) was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment. Once he gets the order, he would be released, as he had already spent more than 10 years in jail.<br /><br />Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salvi, who represented the Special Task Force (STF) headed by CBI, said that the court has given a life term to Salem – who oversaw the landing of RDX and AK-56 assault rifles in Gujarat and brought it to Mumbai. He was also convicted of providing one of the AK-56 rifles to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.<br /><br />“Under the Extradition Treaty, when he was brought to India, the government had given an undertaking that he would not be given a sentence of more than 25 years. On the order, the government would not take a call whether to commute the life sentence to 25 years or not,” he said.<br /><br />The five accused were convicted and sentenced under various laws including Indian Penal Code, TADA, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and others. A total of six accused were convicted on 16 June, however, one of them, Mustafa Dossa alias Mustafa Majnu, died of a massive heart attack on 28 June.</p>
<p>Two former members of the crime syndicate of Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim on Thursday was sentenced to death for their role in the 12 March 1993 serial blasts case.<br /><br />However, notorious gangster Abu Salem managed to escape with a life term because of an undertaking from the Indian government to Portugal during his extradition as he would not be sentenced to capital punishment.<br /><br />Additional Sessions Judge GA Sanap, who presides over a special court set up under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) handed out the sentences against five convicts at a jam-packed court room in the Mumbai Sessions Court.</p>.<p>On 12 March 1993, 12 bombs exploded at several locations in what was then Bombay, killing 257 people and injuring 713 besides destroying property to the tune of Rs 27 crore. This still remains one of the worst incidents of terrorism in any metropolitan city across the world.<br /><br />Judge Sanap handed out capital punishments to Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Taklya (55) and Feroze Abdul Rashid Khan (47) for being part of the conspiracy.<br /><br />Abu Salem Abdul Qayoom Ansari (50) and Karimullah Khan (55) had been sentenced to life imprisonment by the court.<br /><br />Riyaz Ahmed Siddiqui (67) was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment. Once he gets the order, he would be released, as he had already spent more than 10 years in jail.<br /><br />Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salvi, who represented the Special Task Force (STF) headed by CBI, said that the court has given a life term to Salem – who oversaw the landing of RDX and AK-56 assault rifles in Gujarat and brought it to Mumbai. He was also convicted of providing one of the AK-56 rifles to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.<br /><br />“Under the Extradition Treaty, when he was brought to India, the government had given an undertaking that he would not be given a sentence of more than 25 years. On the order, the government would not take a call whether to commute the life sentence to 25 years or not,” he said.<br /><br />The five accused were convicted and sentenced under various laws including Indian Penal Code, TADA, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and others. A total of six accused were convicted on 16 June, however, one of them, Mustafa Dossa alias Mustafa Majnu, died of a massive heart attack on 28 June.</p>
