SC Stays Execution Of 1993 Mumbai Bomb Blasts Case Convict Tahir Merchant

The Supreme Court, today, has stayed execution of death sentence awarded to Tahir Merchant, one of the convicts in 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case.

The Three Judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was considering his appeal against the Special Terrorism and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court Judgment which convicted and sentenced Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan and Tahir Merchant to death in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case.

The Bench, posting the case to 14^th of March 2018, said: “The Registry is directed to call for the lower court records. The State of Maharashtra is directed to compile the evidence in entirety and file the compilation in convenient volumes and also serve a copy thereof to the learned counsel for the appellant.”

On March 12, 1993, 12 bombs exploded at different locations across the city of Mumbai, taking away 257 lives and injuring 713 people. Property worth approximately Rs. 23 crore was damaged.

Special TADA judge GA Sanap had pronounced Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Karimullah Khan, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan and Tahir Merchant guilty under sections 120B, 302, 307, 326, 427, 435, 436, 201 and 212 of the Indian Penal Code, sections 3, 3(3), 5, 6 of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Rapid Protection Act, and provisions of the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Read the Order Here