Ejaz Pathan gets 10 years in jail, conspirator lifer
The special Tada court on Thursday sentenced gangster Ejaz Pathan and conspirator Shaikh Ali Shaikh Umar to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and life imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai.
By PTI |
MUMBAI: The special Tada court on Thursday sentenced gangster Ejaz Pathan and conspirator Shaikh Ali Shaikh Umar to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and life imprisonment, respectively, for their roles in the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. Pathan was sent to prison for 10 years and directed to a pay a fine of Rs 2.25 lakh.
A one-time associate of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, Pathan was present at the conspirators’ first meeting in Dubai where it was decided that the demolition of the Babri mosque had to be avenged. Pathan provided his men for the landing of arms and explosives on the Raigad coast. However, he was spared from a life sentence as he was not aware of what was being landed beforehand. He was also not involved in the conspiracy in the later stages.
Judge Pramod Kode said that Pathan’s failing health was taken into consideration while sentencing him. Pathan, extradited from Dubai four years ago, suffers from a blood clot in his brain and will undergo surgery on June 26. The government has sanctioned Rs 2.5 lakh for the operation, the court was informed on Thursday. Pathan was also convicted for illegal possession of three AK-56 rifles.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the sentence was less than anticipated and the prosecution will contemplate appealing against it only after reading the entire judgement.
Shaikh Ali Shaikh Umar, a conspirator, was given a life sentence and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh. The court has so far sentenced 73 of 100 people convicted for their role in the serial blasts that killed 257 people.
Umar was found guilty of conducting a reconnaissance of the municipal corporation of greater Mumbai’s headquarters for an attack.
Along with six others, Umar had gone in a maruti van with the intention of attacking the corporation building on March 12, the day of the blasts.
However, they could not get bullets for AK-56 rifles and dropped the plan and the van was abandoned. Seven AK-56 rifles and four grenades were found in the vehicle.
The van was registered in the name of Tiger Memon’s sister-in-law Rubeena and it was this clue that led police to Memon, the absconding main accused.
Umar was also convicted of aiding in the landing of arms and ammunition before the blasts, taking part in a conspiracy meeting in Mumbai, filling RDX in vehicles used in the blasts and initiating another accused, Gul Mohammed, into the conspiracy.
A one-time associate of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, Pathan was present at the conspirators’ first meeting in Dubai where it was decided that the demolition of the Babri mosque had to be avenged. Pathan provided his men for the landing of arms and explosives on the Raigad coast. However, he was spared from a life sentence as he was not aware of what was being landed beforehand. He was also not involved in the conspiracy in the later stages.
Judge Pramod Kode said that Pathan’s failing health was taken into consideration while sentencing him. Pathan, extradited from Dubai four years ago, suffers from a blood clot in his brain and will undergo surgery on June 26. The government has sanctioned Rs 2.5 lakh for the operation, the court was informed on Thursday. Pathan was also convicted for illegal possession of three AK-56 rifles.
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the sentence was less than anticipated and the prosecution will contemplate appealing against it only after reading the entire judgement.
Shaikh Ali Shaikh Umar, a conspirator, was given a life sentence and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1.5 lakh. The court has so far sentenced 73 of 100 people convicted for their role in the serial blasts that killed 257 people.
Umar was found guilty of conducting a reconnaissance of the municipal corporation of greater Mumbai’s headquarters for an attack.
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Along with six others, Umar had gone in a maruti van with the intention of attacking the corporation building on March 12, the day of the blasts.
However, they could not get bullets for AK-56 rifles and dropped the plan and the van was abandoned. Seven AK-56 rifles and four grenades were found in the vehicle.
The van was registered in the name of Tiger Memon’s sister-in-law Rubeena and it was this clue that led police to Memon, the absconding main accused.
Umar was also convicted of aiding in the landing of arms and ammunition before the blasts, taking part in a conspiracy meeting in Mumbai, filling RDX in vehicles used in the blasts and initiating another accused, Gul Mohammed, into the conspiracy.
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