Couple among 3 get the noose in 2003 blasts case

Mumbai, Aug 6 (PTI) Six years after two blasts at the
iconic Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar in the western
metropolis of India left 52 persons dead, three
Lashkar-e-Taiba members, including a couple, were Thursday
sentenced to death by a POTA court for carrying out the
explosions.

Handing down the noose to the trio -- Mohammed Hanif
Sayeed (46), his wife Fahmida (43) and Ashrat Ansari (32), the
judge P R Puranik observed that it had been proved beyond
reasonable doubt they had committed heinous acts resulting in
numerous deaths.

The court agreed with special public prosecutor Ujjwal
Nikam that this was a rarest of the rare case where capital
punishment was justified.

This is for the first time that a couple has been
convicted by a POTA court for carrying out blasts.

The trio was held guilty of planting two bombs in
taxis that exploded at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar
on August 25, 2003, claiming 52 lives and injuring 244. They
had also planted a bomb on July 28, 2003 in a municipal bus in
suburban Ghatkopar which killed two persons.

Soon after the verdict was pronounced, police whisked
away Sayed, Fahimda and Ansari to different jails.

Fahmida broke down outside the court while her husband
did not react and stood calm by her side.Ashrat said "Is andhe
kanoon se kya insaaf milega (what justice can you get when the
law is blind).

Commenting on the verdict, Nikam said, "We are happy
that justice has been delivered. This would send a strong
message to terrorists that they would get such punishment if
they indulged in barbarous acts".

The three were given death penalty under section 3(2) of
POTA, and IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder)
and 120(b)(conspiracy).

They were sentenced to varying prison terms under the
provisions of Explosives Substances Act, Explosives Act and
Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

"Initially they had planted a bomb in a bus but since few
people were killed, they decided to use powerful bombs on the
instructions of Laskhar-e-Taiba," Nikam said.

Nikam said Fahmida had played a major role in these bomb
blasts. She not only planted a bomb in a bus on July 28, 2003,
along with her husband's friend Ashrat but also on August 25,
2003, she and her husband Hanif planted bombs in taxis at the
Gateway of India.

"Fahmida had actively participated in the process of
selection and approval of location of targets. Though Fahmida
was a woman she was equally cruel as other accused in the
execution of conspiracy," Nikam said.

The prosecutor said Hanif was an autorickshaw driver
in Mumbai and had gone to Dubai to attend a meeting during
which a conspiracy was hatched by LeT to carry out the blasts.

Ashrat had planted bomb in another taxi which exploded
in Zaveri Bazaar.

Families of blasts victims waited outside the court to
felicitate Nikam and his team of prosecutors. Among them was
Ashok Patel who said, "We are happy that justice has been done
at last."

Zaveri Bazaar in South Mumbai was selected as blast site
since the trio wanted to target the famous Mumbadevi temple.
Gateway of India was chosen since LeT wanted to target the
nearby Hotel Taj where many foreign tourists stay, Nikam said.

Along with Hanif and Fahimda, their 16-year-old daughter
had been arrested for her alleged involvement in the blasts.
However, she was discharged since the prosecution chose not to
investigate the charges against her as she was a minor.

Two other accused, Mohammed Ansari Ladoowala and Mohammed
Hasan Batterywala, were also discharged from the case by the
POTA court after the Supreme Court upheld a POTA review
committee report that had said there was no case against the
duo.

An accused-turned-approver had told the court that the
meeting to hatch the conspiracy was held in Dubai. LeT
activists had come from Pakistan to attend the meeting, the
approver, whose name has been kept a secret, he had said.

The motive behind the blasts was to seek vengeance for
the atrocities meted against the minority community during the
Godhra carnage in Gujarat in 2002, he had told investigators.
PTI SVS
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