HC asks Centre to respond to Dossa kin's plea over properties

The Bombay High Court today sought the Centre's stand on a plea by the relatives of Mohammed Dossa, an absconding accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, for de-sealing their properties.
Mohammed Dossa's brother Mustafa Dossa was convicted last month by a special court for his involvement in the 1993 blasts case, but had died of a heart attack before the court could award him any sentence.
A bench of justices R V More and S V Kotwal sought the centre's stand on the plea of Mohammed Dossa's relatives within two weeks.
Dossa's relatives moved the high court challenging an appellate authority's January 2011 judgement upholding an order for forfeiture of their bank accounts, besides several shops and flats across the city.

The order for the forfeiture was issued by the Competent Authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA), forfeiting their movable and immovable properties, including their bank accounts, shops and flats.
The competent authority had initiated the process of attachment of Dossa's properties after it failed to locate him after the blasts.

The properties belonged to Mohammed's wife Abida, brothers Haroon and Mustafa, sisters Yasmin and Sabina and his parents.
Senior counsel Prasad Dhakepalkar, who appeared for the relatives, today told the division bench of justices More and Kotwal that the properties in question were acquired years before Mohammed Dossa allegedly began his smuggling activities.

He said no nexus existed between Dossa's illegal activities and the acquisition of the said properties.