1993 blasts: 3 more Memon aides convicted

Three associates of Tiger Memon, absconding prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, were on Friday found guilty by a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention Act) court in Mumbai on charges of conspiracy and abetting terror acts.

In all, 31 accused have been found guilty so far in the case.

The three convicted on Friday are Shaikh Ali Shaikh Umar, Mohammed Shahid Nizamuddin Qureshi and Pervez Mohammed Pervez Zulfikar Qureshi.

Umar was found guilty of taking part in the conspiracy behind the blasts, the landing of RDX at Shekhadi in coastal Raigad district, packing RDX in vehicles, initiating co-accused Gul Mohammed in the conspiracy, surveying potential targets with Tiger and possession of weapons.

He was acquitted by judge P D Kode of charges of undergoing weapons training at Sandheri and Borghat in Raigad.

Qureshi was found guilty of participating in landing of arms and explosives at Shekhadi but acquitted of charges of conspiracy and going to Dubai

en route to Pakistan for arms training.

Zulfikar Qureshi was found guilty of conspiracy, participating in the landing of arms and ammunition at Shekhadi, undergoing weapons training in Pakistan and loading RDX in vehicles that were planted at various places on the day of the terror attacks.

Outside the court, prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that Friday's verdict was significant as it brought out clearly the bold attempt made by Tiger and his men to strike terror in Mumbai on March 12 1993.

A total of 257 people were killed and 713 injured in the series of explosions that rocked the city 13 years ago. Earlier, Nasir Abdul Kadar Keval alias Nasir Dhakla and Mohammed Rafiq Usman Shaikh, who were convicted this week for complicity in the conspiracy behind the blasts, gave their statements to the court on the quantum of sentence.

Both pleaded for leniency, saying they had suffered during the 1992-93 communal riots in Mumbai and were dragged into the conspiracy by other accused who exploited their sentiments.