Mumbai twin blasts: Three sentenced to death

Three persons, including a woman, were today sentenced to death by a special court for their involvement in the 2003 blasts at the iconic Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar here which left 54 dead and 244 injured.

Mohammed Hanif Sayed, his wife Fahimda and Ashrat Ansari were sentenced to death by a special Prevention of Terrorism Act court.

This is for the first time that a couple is being convicted by a POTA court for their involvement in carrying out blasts.

The trio was held guilty of planting two bombs that exploded at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar on August 25, 2003. They had also planted a bomb on July 28, 2003 in a municipal bus in suburban Ghatkopar which killed two persons.

 

Hanif, who was present in court dressed in a white kurta pyjama, did not show any reaction when the verdict was delivered.

His wife Fahmida remained silent at the time of the pronouncement of the judgement but broke down as she left the court premises.  

Speaking outside the court, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said the trio deserved the death penalty as the case fell in the rarest of the rare category.

"We are happy that all three got the death penalty. It is a message to people who indulge in terrorism that the law will not spare them if they commit such barbarous acts," Nikam said.  

The trio was sentenced to death under section 3(2) of POTA, and sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120 (b) (conspiracy) of IPC, he said.

They were sentenced to varying prison terms under the provisions of Explosives Substances Act, Explosives Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

"Initally they had planted a bomb in a bus but since few people were killed, they decided to use powerful explosives on the instructions of Laskhar-e-Taiba," Nikam said.