RDX landing case: TADA court lets off 22 accused locals

The alleged masterminds like Dawood,Mustafa Majnu,Mammumiyan Panjumiya and Abu Salem are yet to be chargesheeted in the case.

“Special TADA judge F R Goswami has acquitted the 22 accused,who were named in the first chargesheet filed in the case. There were a total of four chargesheets filed in the case,” said defence lawyer Salim Jokiya.

Of the 22 acquitted today,five are dead. Nearly all of them hailed from Porbandar and Valsad districts and faced charges for conspiracy and waging war against the state.

According to complaint filed with Porbandar’s Kamla Baug police station,these accused helped in the landing of 30 boxes of RDX,45 bags of AK-45 rifles and 20 guns from Pakistan at Gosabora village in Porbandar district on January 8/9,1993.

“No explosives or arms were recovered by the investigating team from the accused. The entire case was based on statements of accused. Therefore,due to lack of evidence,the accused have been released,” said Jokiya,adding this has “weakened the case against absconders like Dawood,who is yet to be prosecuted”.

Three cases had been registered in connection with the RDX landings in Gujarat — one each in Porbandar,Jamnagar and Valsad. Investigations revealed that the RDX and weapons were supplied to Mumbai via Porbandar and Valsad.

A total of 50 persons were made accused in the three cases. In the first verdict,22 have been acquitted.

While Dawood is at large,Mammumiyan Panju Miyan,Mustafa Maju and Abu Salem are currently lodged in different jails in India.