Thirteen years after the serial bomb blasts, a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act court is expected to announce on Thursday the date of the much-awaited verdict as 86 accused, including film actor Sanjay Dutt, have been summoned before it.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the court might declare on Thursday when it would give its verdict taking into account that nearly 123 accused were eagerly awaiting to know their fate.
The 86 accused on bail, including Dutt, have been summoned to appear while 37 others, including extradited gangsters Abu Salem, Ejaz Pathan and Mustaffa Dossa, who are in custody would be produced in keeping with the orders of the court.
Dutt is charged with possessing an AK-56 rifle and later destroying it with the help of his friends. The actor, however, denied the charge by retracting his statement to the police. The witnesses examined by the prosecution in his case also turned hostile.
According to the Central Bureau of Investigation, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim masterminded the blasts and Salem had gone to the residence of Dutt to deliver the weapon. It also charged Salem with distributing arms to the co-accused.
Salem too has denied the charge by retracting his police statement.
The court is busy preparing itself for the verdict. About 13,000 pages of evidence were recorded and over 600 witnesses had already deposed, prosecutor Nikam said.
On March 12, 1993, 257 persons were killed and 713 injured when explosions rocked 13 places in Mumbai. Property worth Rs 27 crore was destroyed in the blasts.