Have nothing to do with 1993 blasts, key accused tells TADA court

Ahmed Shaikh, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, today told a special court here that he had nothing to do with the blasts in which more than 257 people were killed and 713 injured.

Shaikh (52), also known as "Lambu", was arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on June 1 and was brought to the city by the CBI yesterday on a transit remand.

He was produced before special Judge S M Bhosle of the TADA court in the afternoon today.

The prosecution told court that Shaikh had voluntarily given a confessional statement to the CBI about his role in the blasts.

Earlier in the day, the accused was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which has taken the cognisance of his confessional statement given to the investigating agency, the prosecution said.

The accused confirmed before the judge that he had given a confessional statement to the CBI.

He, however, told the TADA court that he had asked the metropolitan court to remove a line, about the 1993 serial blasts, from his confessional statement.

He then told the TADA court, "Mera blast se kuch lena dena nahi hai (I have nothing to do with the blasts).

The TADA court sent Shaikh to CBI custody till June 14.

The prosecution had sought custody on the ground that it needed to ascertain the "correctness of the accused's confession".

Shaikh, who lived in a dormitory in Mumbai, left the country immediately after the blasts and had been absconding since.

A red-corner notice had been issued against him. He was also carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head.

Shaikh is accused of attending a meeting in Dubai in which the conspiracy to carry out the blasts was hatched.

Shaikh and some others are accused of going to Pakistan to train in bomb-making, handling firearms and converting vehicles into bombs.

He is also allegedly involved in the landing of RDX on the Raigad coast in Maharashtra.