1993 blasts case: Court discharges 20 witnesses

MUMBAI: A special TADA court today discharged 20 witnesses recalled by an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, after CBI sought their discharge saying the accused was not cross-examining the witness.

"The court has discharged all the twenty witnesses," a CBI official said.

Accused Feroze Rashid moved an application in the court seeking time to cross-examine a witness. However, CBI prosecutor Arun objected to it saying it was a "delaying tactic" and sought to discharge all the witnesses.

"The witness who deposed today came from neighbouring Pune district and this was his fourth appearance in the court," the officer said.

Yesterday, Feroze had reportedly filed an application before the special TADA court saying that he had no faith in the judge.

Thirteen powerful blasts had rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993 killing 257 persons and injuring 713 people.

The TADA court had in 2006 convicted 100 accused and the court is now conducting the trial against gangster Abu Salem, Riyaz Siddiqui, Abdul Qayyum, Mustafa Dosa and Rashid, all of whom were arrested later on.