The division bench of Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice P D Kode was hearing the appeals filed by the three convicts – Ashraf Ansari (32), Hanif Sayeed Anees (46) and Fehmida Sayed (43), challenging the death penalty on November 12, reserved the judgement following the conclusion of arguments by the prosecution seeking confirmation on the conviction.
Justice Khanwilkar told the court that as his co-judge in the case Justice P D Kode has recently been transferred to the Nagpur bench of the court, preparation of judgement would take more time.
The convicts were sentenced to death by a special court (dealing with POTA cases) in August 2009 for causing the explosions by planting bombs in two cabs – one at Gateway of India and the other at Zaveri Bazaar – on August 25, 2003.
The prosecution in its argument had emphasised that the conspiracy to carry out explosions was plotted in Dubai by Hanif, Ashraf and Nasir along with some Pakistani nationals reportedly having links with Laskar-e-Toiba. Nasir was later killed in an encounter with the police force.
During the post-blasts investigations, the police team was shocked to find that the blasts were carried out by people living in shanties in the north-western suburbs of Mumbai. Incidentally, the 2003 Mumbai twin bomb blasts were the first explosions carried out in a public place after 2002 Gujarat riots.
