The Hindu : Front Page : TADA court convicts 1 more

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Friday, Sep 29, 2006
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TADA court convicts 1 more

He helped land explosives; five persons acquitted

NOT GUILTY: Abdul Aziz Abdul Kader, one of the five acquitted is being frisked by policemen in Mumbai on Thursday. — PHOTO: PTI

Mumbai: The designated terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court on Thursday convicted Sarfaraz Phanse, an aide of prime accused Tiger Memon, for facilitating the landing of explosives used in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, but acquitted five others due to "weak" evidence against them.

Phanse, convicted for helping in the landing of arms and explosives at the Shekhadi coast in Raigad district, was the 20th accused to be found guilty by the court of designated Judge P.D. Kode.

Phanse is the son of Dawood Takla, convicted last week for attending a meeting called by Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai to plot the serial explosions that killed 257 persons.

Phanse, who faces a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, was, however, acquitted of a conspiracy charge.

The five who were acquitted — Mansoor Qureshi, Shaikh Kasam Babulal, Sultan-e-rome Ali Gul, Abdul Aziz Kader and Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim — had been charged with going to Dubai en route to Pakistan for arms training. The court said the evidence against them was "weak" and fell short of conviction.

The prosecution failed to prove that the five men who were acquitted had gone to Dubai for arms training. The CBI alleged they could not go to Pakistan from Dubai as the conspirators did not make travel arrangements for them.

They were also acquitted of charges of attending a conspiracy meeting in Dubai. — PTI

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