56 blasts accused get two-week reprieve

MUMBAI, MAY 21: The specially designated TADA court, Judge Pramod Kode, has granted a fortnight's reprieve to the 56 serial blasts accuse...

MUMBAI, MAY 21: The specially designated TADA court, Judge Pramod Kode, has granted a fortnight8217;s reprieve to the 56 serial blasts accused including filmstar, Sanjay Dutt, by granting them permission to travel outside Mumbai and anywhere in the country. In addition, he has asked those accused who claim their lives are under threat to submit individual applications seeking exemption from court appearances. All the 56 accused have been asked to report to the court on June 7.

Soon after the murder of Majid Khan, owner of M K Builders at Bandra in March this year, the 56 Mumbai-based accused on bail had jointly moved the court through their advocates, Subhash Kanse and Farhana Shah. Their petition pointed out that since several blasts accused are being stalked and killed by the Chhota Rajan gang, they be exempted from court appearances. They also sought permission to shift to undisclosed locations in the country. It stated that since Rajan8217;s associates were aware of their places of work and dates of appearancein court, they were able to study their routine. This, it added, made it easy for the gangsters to kill them when an opportunity presented itself.

Majid Khan8217;s murder was the sixth violent incident involving the blasts accused, of which he was the fourth casualty. Before Khan, the Rajan gang had gunned down Salim Kurla at Belle Vue Nursing Home at Andheri and Mohammed Jindran at Bandra. Shakeel Ahmed, another blast accused, too was killed along with Majid Khan. During their killing spree, the gang had also killed an exporter, Shabbir Shaikh, at Oshiwara mistaking him for another blast accused last year.

Attempts were also made on the lives of Saeed Ahmed, Ayub Patel and recently on Mohammed Hanif at Chowpatty and Fazal Rehman at Bandra on Wednesday. However, they survived after sustaining injuries.

Scared for their lives, the accused had collectively petitioned Judge Kode in March this year. Last week, the judge had granted interim relief and asked those accused who had threat perception to fileindividual applications along with supporting affidavits. They were also asked to provide details of the threat they anticipate.

The blast accused had requested that their presence in court be kept a secret and that they be allowed to shift their residences and businesses out of the city. This would help them remain anonymous and thus save them from the gunmen. Their applicants had prayed that their court appearences be restricted to once in two months at their discretion. Today, Judge Kode granted a two-week reprieve, during time they have been allowed to travel anywhere in the country.

Meanwhile, after gunning down financiers, sympathisers and lieutenants of their rival gangs, ganglords have begun targeting new groups. While the Chhota Rajan gang has been killing persons involved in the serial blasts, the Chhota Shakeel gang is retaliating by targeting those who were indicted by the Srikrishna Commission and have gone scot-free.

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Following Khan8217;s killing, Shakeel8217;s men had made an attempt on the lifeof former mayor, Milind Vaidya as well.