1993 Mumbai blasts: Acquitted man was charged with escorting Abu Salem to Sanjay Dutt’s house

Mumbai city news: A sessions court held six, including Abu Salem, guilty in connection with the 1993 blasts, while accused Abdul Qayyum was acquitted

Abdul Qayyum, the only accused to be acquitted in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts on Friday, was arrested on February 13, 2007.

Police initially did not know of Qayyum. However, after Abu Salem was arrested, he confessed, which helped investigators determine the roles played by Riyaz Siddiqui and Abdul Qayyum Karim Shaikh in the blast. (HT File Photo)

He was charged with accompanying Abu Salem to Sanjay Dutt’s house to deliver arms and ammunition. However, the court acquitted him owing to a lack of evidence.

Police initially did not know of Qayyum. However, after Abu Salem was arrested, he confessed, which helped investigators determine the roles played by Riyaz Siddiqui and Abdul Qayyum Karim Shaikh in the blast.

Karim had also sold Sanjay Dutt a revolver in September 1992.

On Friday, the sessions court convicted Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Firoz Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Karimullah Shaikh and Mohammad Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Taklya in connection with the serial blasts.