1993 Bombay Blasts Case: Charges Against Abu Salem and Six Others

New Delhi: A special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) (TADA) court will pronounce its verdict against seven accused, including gangster Abu Salem, in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case on Friday. The trial of the seven accused — Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Riyaz Siddiqui, Tahir Merchant and Abdul Quayyum — were separated from the main case as they were arrested at the time of conclusion of the main trial in which 100 people were convicted.

Here are the charges against the seven accused:

- Abu Salem was extradited from Portugal and was accused of transporting and distributing arms and ammunitions.

- Mustafa Dossa was extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The charges against him were of landing arms and explosives, conspiracy, and sending individuals to Pakistan for training.

- Tahir Merchant was charged with arranging the transportation for the other convicts to travel to Pakistan.

- Abdul Qayyum was charged with delivering weapons to Sanjay Dutt.

- Riyaz Siddiqui has been accused of transporting explosives in a Maruti van which was later used in the blasts.

- Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan was charged of supervising the whole procedure when arms and ammunitions were transported to Mumbai.

- Karimullah Sheikh was charged with smuggling arms into the country through the Shekhadi coast of Raigad district in February 1993.

On March 12, 1993 the country's commercial capital witnessed an unprecedented terrorist attack when a series 12 bomb explosions took place one after another in about a span of two hours. The blasts took place at Bombay Stock Exchange, Katha Bazaar, Lucky petrol pump near Sena Bhavan, opposite Passport office near Century Bazaar, Fishermen's colony at Mahim Causeway, at basement of Air India Building, Zaveri Bazaar, Hotel Sea Rock, Plaza Theatre, Centaur Hotel (Juhu), Sahar Airport (Bay no.54) and Centaur Hotel (near airport). This was the first ever terrorist attack in the world where RDX (Research Department Explosive i.e cyclotrimethylene trinitramine) was used on such a large scale after the Second World War.