Pradeep Jain murder in Mumbai: After Abu Salem, former approver Riyaz Siddiqui convicted
The quantum of sentence will be decided by the first week of September.
The designated TADA court on Thursday convicted approver-turned-accused Riyaz Siddiqui in connection with the murder of builder Pradeep Jain in 1995.
The quantum of sentence will be decided by the first week of September.
According to the prosecution, on March 7, 1995, Jain was shot dead by assailants outside his Juhu bungalow after he allegedly refused to part with his huge property to underworld gangster Abu Salem. Siddiqui is also convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
TADA judge Govind Sanap observed that Siddiqui was an ‘intergral part of the conspiracy’.
The TADA court had earlier in February 2015 convicted three accused — Salem, Mehendi Hassan Shaikh and Virendrakumar Jhamb — for conspiracy and murder of Jain. Siddiqui was made an approver in the case but did not support the prosecution.
Special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam soon made a plea to turn him an accused. The plea was allowed and his trial was separated from the other accused.
Along with the charges of conspiracy, conspiracy to murder and criminal trespass with extortion, Siddiqui was also convicted for giving false evidence in the court. The TADA court observed that the prosecution with ‘concrete and cogent evidence’ proved that Siddiqui along with other accused had conspired to eliminate Jain. While holding Siddiqui guilty the court observed, “The prosecution has further proved that Siddiqui has committed breach of the conditions of pardon.”