146;93 serial blasts: Big guns were never caught

DAWOOD IBRAHIM AND ANIS IBRAHIM: The brothers have been named prime conspirators of the blasts. Along with Memon and Dossa, they are said to have planned the bombings to avenge the 8216;8216;sufferings of Muslims8217;8217; during the riots in Mumbai in December 1992 and January 1993 after the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

The prosecution said the brothers provided the financial and logistical support. CBI officers added that Dawood and Tiger Memon were in contact with ISI agents in Pakistan. And that they organised camps in Pakistan to train select Muslim youths 8212; sent via Dubai 8212; in handling arms, ammunition and explosives for attacking different targets all over India.

TIGER MEMON: He allegedly, at the instance of Dawood, chalked out the plan, which included arranging money, smuggling of arms and ammunition, training youths to provide logistics and planning the bombs. Prosecutors said Memon and Mohammed Dossa organised the landing of the RDX on the Maharashtra coast in connivance with Customs officials. On March 4, 1993, Memon organised meetings at the Taj Mahal hotel to finalise the targets.

MOHAMMED DOSSA: He is primarily accused of organising the two landings of the RDX, arms and ammunition in Raigad. He organised landing agents and brought Customs officials into the loop by handing out Rs 7.8 lakh in bribes.

THE OTHERS, WHO WERE CAUGHT

MEMON FAMILY: The 10-member Memon family came under the police scanner after the CBI discovered that Tiger Memon played a big role in the entire operation. Except Tiger Memon and one of his brothers Ayub, most of his family, including the women, were arrested. Two of Tiger8217;s brothers 8212; Yakub and Suleman 8212; are still in jail.

Yakub is a chartered accountant, who used to own the firm Tejarath International. He surrendered to the CBI, which claims that he spent Rs 14 lakh on the 15 youth sent to Pakistan for training. According to the CBI, the fact that the Memon family fled to Dubai between March 3, 1993, and the wee hours of March 12 8216;8216;clearly indicates their prior knowledge of the blasts and their tacit approval of it8217;8217;.

The CBI has attached documentary proof to show the financial transactions made from various accounts of the Memon family, and point out in the chargesheet that the meagre closing balances in their accounts indicate a 8216;8216;pre-meditated plan to carry out their nefarious designs and anti-national activities and flee the country before the mayhem and bloodshed8217;8217;.

CUSTOMS OFFICIALS: Customs officials arrested for helping the conspirators smuggle in RDX, arms and ammunition include: Ranjit Kumar Singh, assistant collector of Customs, Raigad, Mohammed Sultan Sayed, Customs superintendent, Jaywant Gurav, Customs inspector and S.M. Thapa, additional collector of Customs.

Singh and Sayed allegedly met Dossa to facilitate the smooth landing of weapons. Gurav allegedly sat next to the driver of the vehicle carrying the contraband, and used his official jeep to escort it. Thapa had jurisdiction over Raigad district then. Despite warnings from his superiors on February 2, 1993, that the contraband would be offloaded near Mhasla, Raigad, he intentionally sent the Customs8217; surveillance staff to other locations with a view to facilitate a safe landing, the CBI says.

THE ACTOR AND AK-56s

SANJAY DUTT: He has been accused of being in the possession of AK-56 rifles in a notified area under the TADA Act. In his retracted confession, he had said that he had got the weapons for protection following the 8217;92 riots. In January 8217;93, recently extradited former Dawood lieutenant Abu Salem, businessmen Samir Hingora and Hanif Kadawala and Dawood aide Baba Chauhan had delivered two or three AK-56 rifles, hand grenades and magazines to Dutt, prosecutors said. The actor was accused of destroying evidence after he allegedly dumped the weapons somewhere after the blasts. He was arrested and lodged in jail for almost a year.