146;93 blasts: Customs man gets life

The special TADA court on Thursday handed out death sentence to Iqbal Shaikh 34, a bomb planter, and sentenced to life former Additional Collector of Customs Preventive Somnath Thapa and Bashir Khairulla for their role in the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993.

The special TADA court on Thursday handed out death sentence to Iqbal Shaikh 34, a bomb planter, and sentenced to life former Additional Collector of Customs Preventive Somnath Thapa and Bashir Khairulla for their role in the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993.

Iqbal Shaikh 34 had parked an RDX-laden scooter in Naigaum which didn8217;t explode. He also drove convict Nasim Barmare to Sahar flyover where Barmare lobbed a hand grenade.

8226; SOMNATH THAPA

Customs officer Thapa was convicted for facilitating smuggling of arms, ammunition and explosives by Dawood Ibrahim, Mohammed Dossa and Tiger Memon. Eventually, these were used in the blasts that killed 257 people.

8220;There was non-interference on his part in spite of getting specific information about the consignment which he was legally bound to prevent from coming,8221; said Judge Kode.

Thapa had jurisdiction over Raigad district where the arms consignment landed. His superiors had informed him on or around January 25, 1993 that prohibited arms, ammunition and explosives were likely to be smuggled by Pakistan8217;s ISI. Also, Thapa was ordered to maintain strict vigil in the area.

But Judge Kode held that on the day the arms landed in Shekhadi and Dighi, Thapa knowingly and intentionally diverted Customs surveillance staff towards Bankot.

8226; IQBAL YUSUF SHAIKH

Shaikh parked an RDX-laden scooter in front of one Dr Mandot8217;s clinic in Naigaum. It remained unattended for two days, after which the doctor got suspicious and informed the police.

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The bomb squad later defused 15 kg of RDX. The scooter proved to be a major lead for investigators as its keys were found in Tiger Memon8217;s flat at Al-Hussaini building.

About Shaikh8217;s role, Special Judge P D Kode said: 8220;The scooter didn8217;t explode. But the intention was to cause death.8221;

As for his role in the Sahar airport attack, Shaikh wasn8217;t found guilty of commissioning a terrorist act as he didn8217;t lob the grenades himself. But he was convicted for abetting a terrorist act.

8226; BASHIR KHAIRULLA

Khairulla was convicted for being part of a group of six that drove to Fishermens8217; Colony, Mahim causeway, where most of them lobbed hand grenades killing three and injuring six. Khairulla, however, wasn8217;t able to lob a grenade himself as he couldn8217;t dislodge the pin. He was convicted for unlawful assembly as 8220;he becomes vicariously liable for the acts of other members,8221; said Judge Kode.