1993 blasts: 83-year-old Phanse gets lifer, seven others sentenced

MUMBAI: A special court here on Wednesday awarded life sentence  to octogenarian Dawood Phanse, one of the main conspirators in the 1993 serial bomb blasts, and sentenced seven others to jail terms ranging from five years' to life imprisonment.

Dawood Phanse, 83, one of the main conspirators, who had met underworld don Dawood Ibrhahim in Dubai and attended a meeting at which the conspiracy to bomb Mumbai was hatched, was given two life sentences (to run concurrently).

TADA judge Pramod Kode said 'but for his age,' Phanse would have got the maximum sentence under TADA--death penalty.

Kode also imposed fine of Rs 2 lakh on Phanse.

Phanse had confessed that Dawood himself told him that arms and explosives would be sent to India for avenging demolition of Babri mosque.

Phanse, who organised landing of arms and RDX at Shekhadi in Raigad, has spent around 13 years in custody.

Muzzamil Umar Kadri, convicted for participating in landings at Shekhadi and possessing 13 AK-56 rifles, was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1.25 lakh.

Kadri was also held guilty for being party to the conspiracy to commit the terrorist act but Judge Kode made it clear that he had had no role in actual blasts of March 1993.

However, he was a 'man of confidence' of the main conspirators, the judge noted. Kadri broke down while hearing the sentence.

Khalil Nasir was awarded ten years rigorous imprisonment on three counts -- conspiracy, role in Shekhadi landing and illegal possession of a pistol. He was also directed to pay fine of Rs 1.25 lakh by the court.

Mohammed Dawood Mohammad Yusuf Khan, found guilty of keeping three AK-56 rifles in his possession which were given to him by Ijaz Pathan, another convict, was given six years RI and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 50,000.

The court sentenced Mohammed Yusuf Botomiya to six years RI and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 for illegally possessing an AK-56 rifle.

Aziz Shaikh, a marine engineer by profession, and found guilty of illegal arms possession, was given five years RI and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 25,000.

Shaikh had also applied for release under Probation of Offenders Act, but the Judge said that he was rejecting his application.

The court also sentenced Salim Durrani, the scion of the formerly princely state of Tonk, to five years RI and fine of Rs 25,000, for illegal possession of an AK-56 rifle. Durani, who knew Tiger Memon well, was also charged with giving shelter to some of the blast accused who were on the run, but it was not proved.

Liyakat Khan, convicted for his role in the Shekhadi landing and keeping explosives in his father's godown was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 35,000. Judge said that he was giving Liyakat the minimum sentence under the law considering that during the trial he had undergone treatment for schizophrenia.