Dutt's fate to be decided tomorrow

MUMBAI: The designated TADA court may on Friday decide the fate of either the four members of prime absconding accused Tiger Memon's family or that of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and his three friends in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Dutt and his three friends, who are on bail, and four members of the Memon family, who are in custody except Rubina Memon who is on bail, have been summoned by the designated court to appear before it on July 27.

On the same day, the court will pronounce the quantum of punishment upon either the Memon family members or upon Dutt and his friends.

Apart from Rubina, the other three members of the Memon family are Yaqoob Memon, Essa Memon and Yusuf Memon, brothers of Tiger Memon.

Rubina is Tiger Memon's sister-in-law. The four were convicted by the court under the TADA for actively participating in the conspiracy of the blast as well as for allowing conspirational meetings to be held in their houses, and for allowing the use of their vehicles and garages for terrorist activities.

According to the prosecution, the four had prior knowledge about the blasts and had, therefore, escaped from the country on March 10, 1993, two days before the terrible explosions.

On August 5, 1994, Yaqoob Memon, who is a chartered accountant by profession, was arrested by police from the Indo-Nepal border. The other family members were arrested from the Indira Gandhi Airport at New Delhi on August 23 of the same year.     

Dutt and his three friends, Yusuf Nalwalla, Karsi Adjania and Russi Mulla, were convicted under the Arms Act but were acquitted under the TADA.

Dutt and his friends, after conviction, had moved an application seeking relief under the Probation of Offenders Act.