Yakub Memon: His offence

“Both (Yakub and Tiger Memon) owe an equivalent responsibility for the blasts. They were the architects of the blasts, without whom the plan would have never seen daylight. From this conduct, it is not hyperbole to state that he was one of the ‘driving spirits’ behind the plan of the 1993 blasts, whereas the other appellants played a far lesser role and thus a lesser contribution to the crimes resulting from this plan,” it had held.

The court said but for Yakub’s dominant role in the conspiracy, the explosives and ammunition would not have entered the country.

AS IT UNFOLDED
March 12, 1993: 13 explosions in Mumbai kill 257, injure 713 others

April-November: Sanjay Dutt arrested, 189 chargesheeted, CBI takes over

1995: 26 accused discharged by TADA court, charges framed against rest accused. SC discharges two more accused — Abu Azmi (now MP) and Amjed Meher Baux.

1995-2002: Trial begins, Sanjay Dutt granted bail by Supreme Court (1995), arguments in court

2003: Trial ends. Court reserves judgment

2006: Gangster Abu Salem’s trial separated

September 12, 2006: Court pronounces four members of Memon family guilty, acquits three. 12 awarded death, 20 given life.

November 1, 2011: SC begins hearing on appeals

August 29, 2012: Order reserved

March 21, 2013: SC upholds death sentence of Yakub Memon and commutes death sentence of 10 convicts to life

July 30: First review petition of Yakub in SC dismissed

August14: Scheduled date for execution of first death warrant

Apr 11, 2014: President Pranab Mukherjee rejects Yakub’s mercy plea

June 2: SC stays Memon’s execution

April 9, 2015: SC dismisses Memon’s second petition seeking review of death sentence

July 21: SC rejects Memon’s curative petition, the last legal remedy

July 23-29: Memon moves SC seeking stay of execution, two-judge bench is split, refers it to CJI for constituting larger bench, which dismisses plea