7 things you must know about 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts conspirator Yakub Memon

Memon was a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and the only to voluntarily return to India

Yakub Memon, one of the key conspirators in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, is likely to be hanged on July 30 if his petition for mercy is rejected by the Supreme Court, the DNA newspaper reported Wednesday.

This could be the first execution in the w arren of investigations into the blasts that killed more than 250 people, and stood out for the coordinated nature of the attack – all the explosions were timed to go off almost simultaneously.

Altogether, 257 people were killed and 173 injured when a series of explosions rocked 13 sites in Mumbai on March 12, 1993. Property worth Rs 27 crores was destroyed in the blasts.

According to CBI, the perpetrators of the serial blasts intended to shatter the country's economy, as was indicative from the selection of blasts sites namely Bombay Stock Exchange, Air-India building, hotel Sea Rock, Hotel Centaur Juhu, Hotel Centaur Airport, and in the busy areas of Zaveri Bazaar, Katha Bazaar and Century Bazaar, says a PTI report.

Memon was a key accused in the case and the only to voluntarily return to India. Here’s what you need to know about the brother of Dawood’s right-hand man, Tiger Memon.

1 Yakub Abdul Razak Memon is a chartered accountant and the brother of Tiger Memon, a key accused in the1993 Mumbai blasts case. 

2 Memon is the lone conspirator to be captured alive. Yakub was given the death penalty on June 27, 2007 by a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court.

3 The bulk of finance relating to travel of the accused to Pakistan for arms training came from Yakub Memon and Ayub Memon, both brothers of Tiger Memon.

4 The day before the bombings, Yakub fled to Dubai with his family, suggesting his involvement in the case.

5 Under a vague deal involving the Indian government, he returned to India in 1994 with an understanding that the other two (Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon) would follow, according to ex-Mumbai police supervisor Y. C. Pawar, presumably in return for leniency.

6 The deal fell apart, however, with the other two reportedly moving to Karachi in Pakistan and Yakub Memon left to take the fall, says a LA times report

7 According to a DNA report when the TADA court pronounced its judgment, Memon went berserk. Memon screamed saying, “Even the innocent will be made into terrorists”.  “Woh sab bole the ki tu c****** hai jo waapis ja raha hai (You are an idiot to go back, all of them told me),” he screamed before the judge. 

The Yakub Memon Time Line:

March 11, 1993

Day before the bombings, Yakub Memon fled to Dubai with his family.

March 12, 1993

Serial bomb explosions rocked 13 places in Mumbai. Property worth millions was destroyed in the blasts.

November 4, 1993

A 10000 page chargesheet against 189 people was filed first, then on 19 November 1993, the case was handed over to CBI, according to a ABP news report.

August 5, 1994

CBI arrests Yakub fron New Delhi railway Station. Memon claims he surrenderd.

June 30, 1995

Trails begins in TADA court.

July 27, 2007

Memon family Convicted, Yakub was given  death penalty.

March 21, 2013

SC upholds his death sentence.

May 21, 2014

President Pranab Mukherjee rejects Yakub’s mercy plea.