Nearly six years after twin blasts at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar killed 53 people and injured at least 150 others, a court
on Monday convicted three of the accused for the carnage, which was reportedly in retaliation for the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat.
Coming before 26/11 and India figuring prominently on the global jehadi map, the August 25, 2003 blasts were the work of a more homegrown terrorist. The motive: vengeance for the killing of Muslims during the 2002 Gujarat carnage.
Special Judge M.R. Puranik held Sayeed Mohammed Hanif (46), his wife Fehmida (45), and their aide Ashrat Ansari (32) guilty of planting the bombs in taxis. The court will sentence them on August 4.Pics | |
Special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had argued that the conspiracy to trigger a chain of explosions was hatched by the LeT in Dubai when it indoctrinated three Indians working there, Hanif, Nasir, and another person who later turned approver in the case. In his confession, the approver had said he had introduced Hanif to Ansari, a childhood friend, who had wanted revenge for the Gujarat riots. Hanif had learnt to make bombs while he was in Dubai, the approver had said.
Nasir, a resident of Hyderabad who was killed in an encounter with the Mumbai police after the blasts, Hanif and Ansari made the bombs that were used.
The prime witness in the case was Shivnarayan Yadav, the driver of a taxi in which the bombs were planted. He survived because he was not near the taxi when the bombs went off. The description he gave about the accused led to their arrest.
Along with those convicted the police had also arrested Farheen, daughter of Hanif and Fehmida, Rizwan Ladoowala and Hassan Batterywala.
They were all discharged from the case.