TADA Court outlines Dawood link in '93 blasts

TADA Court Judge P D Kode today said he was accepting the confession of 82-year old Dawood Mohammed Phanse, alias Dawood Takla, in which he had admitted to have gone to Dubai to meet Dawood Ibrahim.

"The court has given a judicial finding on the involvement of Dawood Ibrahim in the blast," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told PTI.

The judge today convicted Phanse and 75-year old Sharif Abdul Gafoor Parkar, alias Dadabhai, both oldest among the 123 accused in the case, under the provisions of TADA (P) Act and IPC.

Phanse and Parkar face punishment ranging from five years to life, and would give their statements on the quantum of sentence on September 25.

Nine others, including four members of the Memon family, have been found guilty so far.

While Phanse was held guilty of attending the conspiracy meeting in Dubai convened by Tiger Memon and Dawood Ibrahim on January 19, 1993, Parkar was acquitted of the conspiracy charge as the court gave him the benefit of doubt.

Besides attending conspiracy meeting held in Dubai, Phanse was also held guilty of organising landing of arms, ammunition and explosives in Shekhadi coast of Raigad district on February 3 and 7, 1993. On these counts, he was convicted under sections 3(3) and 6 of TADA (P) Act.

The judge said that he was considering the evidence of witnesses who had supported the prosecution in regard to the role played by Phanse and Parkar.