2003 twin blasts: Court defers confirmation of death sentence

The court is likely to pronounce the verdict either next week or when it resumes after holidays in January. Additional Public Prosecutor Purnima Kantharia said the court has not assigned any specific date for pronouncing judgment.

The trio was held guilty by a special Prevention Of Terrorism Act (POTA) court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code,the Explosives Act,Explosives Substances Act and the stringent POTA.

Earlier,Fehmida’s minor daughter was also named an accused in the case,but was subsequently discharged from the case. All the accused were booked for planting powerful bombs in two taxis,which exploded at the Gateway and Zaveri Bazaar on August 25,2003. Hanif and Fehmida were the first couple to be convicted and sentenced to death in a bomb blast case.

Two other accused — Rizwan M A Laddoowala and Mohammed Hassan Batterywala — were discharged by the POTA Review Committee,which was later upheld by the Supreme Court after it was found that there was no case against them. While one prime accused turned approver and was pardoned in May 2004,another died during the trial.

Philippines national acquitted in drugs case

Owing to technical glitches in the case put forward by the prosecution,a Special Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court on Monday acquitted a Philippines national arrested in a drug case in 2008.

Langtinrey Panganiban was arrested on May 12,2008,with allegedly in possession of one-kg of heroin at the Mumbai International Airport.

Pointing out discrepancies in the police probe,Panganiban’s lawyer Taraq Sayyed said,“The way police carried out the seizures was different from what was explained in the court,leaving a scope to assume the samples could have been tampered with.” Panganiban has spent over three years behind bars as he could not furnish surety for his bail procedure.