In the backdrop of bomb blast cases falling flat and accused being discharged of POTA allegations, for the first time a key member of the Lasker-e-Toiba, Zahid Patni — who is an accused in the August 2003 twin blast case — turned approver.Patni, who was arrested last year, today turned approver and informed the special court that he was a member of the LeT and he along with others had hatched a conspiracy in Dubai to explode bombs in Mumbai in the wake of Gujarat riots. The accused said he was ‘‘ready to accept the burden’’ and disclose details of how he and others had executed the blast. Patni has also given a statement of confession under POTA.At the designated special court of Judge A.P. Bhangale, it is a major breakthrough for the prosecution. Special Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam moved an application before Bhangale, stating that the accused was willing to disclose the entire conspiracy leading to the explosions at Gateway of India and Kalbadevi, in which over 50 people were killed.Patni’s confession and willingness to turn approver has given the prosecution the desperately needed vantage in the case. If prosecution is to be believed this will have a positive fall out on all the later bomb explosions including the unexploded one at SEABS and the Ghatkopar bus blast.Patni will be granted conditional pardon, if he gives evidence to the satisfaction of the prosecution. Meanwhile, the defence counsel charged the prosecution with pressuring the accused into becoming an approver. An application of the other accused stating that they were being harassed by the police has also been submitted.
