146;93 blasts: 3 more held guilty

The special TADA court hearing the 8216;93 serial bomb blasts case on Tuesday convicted three accused and gave a clean chit to two other accused. The court will deliver its order on actor Sanjay Dutt today.

The special TADA court hearing the 8216;93 serial bomb blasts case on Tuesday convicted three accused and gave a clean chit to two other accused. The court will deliver its order on actor Sanjay Dutt today.

Special Judge Pramod Kode while pronouncing the verdict held accused no. 24 Manoj Kumar Gupta, accused no. 28 Sayyed Abdul Rrehman and accused no. 136 Mohammed Kasam Lajpuria alias Mechanic Chacha guilty of aiding and abetting terrorist activities and gave a clean chit to accused no. 59 Shakil Shahbuddin Shaikh and accused no. 121 Devidas Ghule on benefit of doubt.

All the convicted accused faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Judge Kode held Gupta guilty for his participation in the landing operations. Gupta has also been found guilty for possession of arms with the intent to use them for terrorist act. He was in possession of two pistols, one revolver, one country-made revolver.

However, he has been exempted from the charges of receiving training in the handling of arms, ammunition and explosives under the guidance of prime absconding accused Tiger Memon. The charges for entering into a conspiracy along with one deceased accused, two other co-accused and one absconding accused for disposal of 59 bags of the deadly RDX into the Nagla Bunder creek and of destroying evidence under Section 201 of IPC have been dropped.

Lajpuria alias Mechanic Chacha, was present in a meeting at Persian Darbar at Panvel on January 6 with co-accused and leader of the Arjun gang Salim Kutta, Assistant Collector of customs, Ranjit Kumar Singh, Customs Sperindentant Mohammed Sultan Sayed and a prime witness. Also present was wanted accused Mohammed Dossa.

Co-accused customs officers were bribed into agreeing to allow smuggling activities at the coast of Dighi in Raigad district.

Chacha along with co-accused Uttam Potdar and associates participated in the landing operations at Dighi on January 9 and transported the consignment to Agarwada village where the arms were concealed in the house of co-accused Shabir Kadri. Chacha was also present when the contraband was intercepted at Ghondghar Phata by co-accused suspended Sub-Inspector Vijay Patil. Charge of criminal conspiracy on Chacha was, however, dropped.

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Rehman was held guilty of all the charges, including criminal conspiracy and intentionally aiding and abetting the commission of terrorist activities. He had participated in the landing and transportation of arms and ammunition at Shekadi. His role as the driver of the truck used for transportation has been proved.

Charges against Shakil Shaikh and Devidas Ghule for involvement in disposal of bags containing RDX into the Nagla Bunder creek in Thane were dropped.