Three convicted in the 2003 Mumbai twin blasts

Mumbai, July 27 (PTI) Six years after twin blasts rocked
the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar in India's commercial
capital of Mumbai in 2003 killing 52 people, three persons,
including a woman, were Monday convicted by a special court
for the crime.

Special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) judge M R
Puranik convicted Ashrat Ashrat Ansari (32), Hanif Sayed Anees
(46) and his wife Fehmida Sayed (43) who face a maximum
sentence of death penalty for their role in carrying out the
blasts which also left around 100 injured.

The court said it will hear on August 4 the arguments of
the defence and the prosecution regarding the quantum of
sentence to be awarded to the convicted persons.

The trio have been convicted under various sections of
the IPC for conspiracy, murder and attempt to murder, sections
of POTA, Explosive Substances Act and Prevention of Damage to
Public Property Act.

The convicts listened carefully to the judge while the
verdict was being pronounced and remained silent.

Three more persons had been arrested for their alleged
involvement in the blasts, but one of them turned approver in
the case.

Two other accused, Mohammed Ansari Ladoowala and Mohammed
Hasan Batterywala, were discharged from the case by POTA court
after Supreme Court upheld a POTA review committee report that
there was no case against the duo.

On August 25, 2003, two bombs which were placed in taxis
exploded and rocked the iconic Gateway of India and the busy
Zaveri Bazaar in South Mumbai.

Speaking outside the court, Special Public Prosecutor
Ujjwal Nikam said since the accused were found guilty under
sections of IPC, the punishment the accused face is either
life imprisonment or death.

"The prosecution is going to seek stringent punishment
for the three on August 4," he said.

It was for the first time that a married couple has been
found guilty under POTA for commission of a terror act like
carrying out blasts, Nikam said.

"One of the accused who later became an approver has said
the conspiracy to carry out the blasts was hatched by terror
group Lashkar-e-Taiba in Dubai. In this conspiracy meeting,
Pakistani nationals owing allegiance to LeT were also present
and one of the objectives of the blasts was to create terror
in Mumbai," the special public prosecutor said.

The prosecution had said the accused were also allegedly
involved in planting an unexploded bomb in a bus at suburban
SEEPZ on December 2, 2002 and another explosive device in a
bus at Ghatkopar on July 28, 2003 in which two persons were
killed due to the explosion.

"However, the LeT decided to conduct high intensity
explosions and the bombs were planted in two taxis in Zaveri
Bazaar and Gateway of India on August 25, 2003," Nikam said.

It was for the first time, that the LeT had carried out
blasts in which a family was involved and they travelled to
the designated locations to place bombs, he said.

The 16-year-old daughter of Hanif and Fehmida was also
arrested for her alleged involvement in aiding her parents but
was subsequently discharged since she was a minor, Nikam said.

During the course of the trial, the prosecution examined
103 witnesses and the defence examined four witnesses. PTI SVS
anu
NNNN


PM administers oath to Montek, other plan panel members

New Delhi, July 27 (PTI) India's Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Monday administered the oath of office to Planning
Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and other
eight members of the newly constituted panel.

The members who took the oath Monday at the Prime
Minister's residence are Mihir Shah, Narendra Jadhav,
Arun Maira, B K Chaturvedi, K Kasturirangan, Syeda Hameed,
Abhijit Sen and Saumitra Chaudhuri.

In the new panel, Abhijit Sen, B K Chaturvedi and
Sayeda Hameed were selected for the second term whereas the
others are new.

The quorum was completed recently with the appointment of
space scientist K Kasturirangan and senior management
consultant Arun Maira.

The occasion was a solemn one and is a powerful
motivator, said Saumitra Chaudhuri. PTI KKS
anu
NNNN