1993 Mumbai serial blasts |‘Absconding for 27 years… no ground of parity’: Court rejects accused’s bail plea

“However, this court is of the view that this applicant / accused no.6 (Qureshi) is not entitled for bail on ground of parity, as he was absconding for about 27 years, this fact is reflect in the confession of Ahmed Lambu (co-accused). Not only this but the contention of applicant himself clearly demonstrates that on 12.05.2022, he was brought in India by Gujarat ATS alongwith three of his co-accused and were arrested at Ahmadabad Airport.

Thereafter, on 21.05.2022, he was arrested in case by CBI STF in Sabarmati Central Jail. If he is released on bail, on ground of parity as alleged, he will not be readily available before this court for trial against him. Therefore, on ground of parity also he is not entitled for bail,” Special Judge B D Shelke said in his order passed on Wednesday.

Qureshi had claimed in his bail plea that he was not absconding but was never arrested by the CBI and that he was residing at his home with his family all these years. He had also claimed that he was not named in the FIR or the chargesheets filed by the agency.

Qureshi had also sought bail stating that there was no material to show that he had undergone arms training in Pakistan and the confession of his co-accused had no other corroboration and several discrepancies. The CBI opposed his plea stating that the confession of Ahmed Shaikh (alias Ahmed Lambu) showed that Qureshi and he had traveled to Dubai and participated in conspiracy meetings.

The court said that whether the confessions of co-accused who were tried in earlier trials can be considered can be decided at the time of the conclusion of the case. But the confessions can be considered while deciding bail pleas, the court said.

On March 12, 1993, 12 bombs explosions had taken place in the city, killing 257 and leaving 713 injured. Previously, two trials have been conducted in the case. While from 1994 to 2006-07, 123 accused were prosecuted before the special TADA court, including Yakub Memon and actor Sanjay Dutt, in 2017, six were convicted in the second trial. The case against Ahmed Lambu and Mohammed Farooq who were arrested in 2018, is also currently pending.