1993 Mumbai serial blasts case: Third phase of trial against seven accused begins

Twelve bombs went off in various parts of the metropolis on March 12, 1993, killing 257 persons and injuring more than 700.

The third phase of trial in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case began in a special court on Monday against seven accused who were absconding and were held at different times.

In two sets of trial, the court has convicted 106 persons, including Yakub Memon, who was hanged in July 2015, and gangster Abu Salem, who was extradited from Portugal in 2005 and sentenced to life.

Twelve bombs went off in various parts of the metropolis on March 12, 1993, killing 257 persons and injuring more than 700. It was among the deadliest terror attacks in the world at the time. The latest trial began before special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act judge V D Kedar on Monday with recording of testimony of two witnesses.

The seven facing trial are Farooq Mansoori alias Farooq Takla, Ahmed Lambu, Munaf Halari, Abu Bakar, Sohaib Qureshi, Sayeed Qureshi and Yusuf Batka. As per the prosecution, Mansoori had allegedly facilitated the lodging and transport of Lambu, Bakar, Qureshi and Batka. These four had gone to Pakistan for training in bomb-making. Halari is accused of purchasing a scooter used in the blasts.

The prosecution is likely to examine 41 fresh witnesses during the course of this phase of the trial.

According to an official, 26 accused in the case are still absconding. In the first phase of the trial that ended in 2007, 100 people were convicted. Twelve of them, including Yakub Memon, were awarded the death penalty. The sentences of 11 were commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court.Memon, who was held guilty of conspiracy and financing the blasts, was executed on July 30, 2015.

Six others were convicted in 2017. Two of them got the death penalty.