1993 Mumbai blasts: Can’t put Tahir Merchant on same footing as Tiger Memon, says lawyer

Mumbai city news: Tahir Merchant’s lawyer referred to several confession statements of the accused previously convicted and contended that Merchant was not the key conspirator.

Defense lawyer Sudeep Pasbola on Wednesday began the argument for convict Tahir Merchant against the capital punishment sought by the prosecution in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

Salem alleged that the officers had come to court on Tuesday to seek his custody. (HT)

“There is nothing on record to show that Merchant even knew about the blasts. You can’t put him on the same footing as Tiger Memon,” Passbola argued. He further contended that the men he harboured were for arms training to avenge 1992, the planning of the blasts happened much later.

Pasbola referred to several confession statements of the accused previously convicted and contended that Merchant was not the key conspirator. Pasbola also argued against the view that the accused was given shelter by the Pakistani agency ISI just on the ground that their passports were not stamped when they entered the country.

Pasbola will continue his arguments on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the TADA court issued a notice to the Delhi police for seeking custody of gangster Abu Salem in a 1998 case saying that it would violate the extradition treaty.

Salem had on Wednesday moved an application asking the court to demand an explanation from the Delhi police for seeking his custody in 19-year-old case.

Salem alleged that the officers had come to court on Tuesday to seek his custody. However, they were advised not to file an application since the case was in its final stage and Salem would be sentenced. They were asked to take his custody from jail.