A TADA court in Mumbai on Friday convicted key mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai blasts case Mustafa Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem.
Dossa was convicted on charges of conspiracy and murder under various sections of the IPC besides offences under the TADA Act, the Arms Act and the Explosives Act, Salem was found guilty of transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai ahead of the blasts.
He had also handed over to actor Sanjay Dutt– who was an accused in the case for illegally possessing weapons– AK 56 rifles, 250 rounds and some hand grenades at his residence on January 16, 1993. Two days later on January 18, 1993 Salem and two others went to Dutt’s house and got back two rifles and some rounds.
Earlier, the court had dropped certain charges against Salem in 2013 after the investigating agency –CBI– moved a plea, saying those charges were against the extradition treaty between India and Portugal.
The latest conviction of 1993 blasts that had killed 257 dead leaving 713 injured divided the Twitter opinions. While some hailed the court verdict, there were others who highlighted the glaring irony in how justice is delivered in India.
Many journalists and social media users were quick to remind how no convictions had taken in the Bombay riots that had taken place before 1993 blasts and killed over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims.
The anti-Muslim riots in Bombay had taken place soon after the 16th century Babri Mosque was demolished by the Hindutva zealots in Ayodhya.
Justice Shrikrishna Commission had made damning observations including involvement of key Shiv Sena leaders such as Bal Thackeray. But the successive governments of BJP-Shiv Sena and Congress simply chose to not act on the commission’s findings.
Here are some of the reactions;
257 people died in the Bombay blasts case. More than 100 people have been convicted. 900 people died in riots before that. No convictions.
— naresh fernandes (@tajmahalfoxtrot) June 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/sreshthx/status/875731648490356738
https://twitter.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/875631616193732608
https://twitter.com/RizviUzair/status/875629664701513728
Sorry Shehzad but your Congress party gave state funeral to Bal Thackeray, prime mastermind of Bombay Riots as per Justice SKC report. https://t.co/3IrMkup0Gx
— omer (@intellectroll) June 16, 2017
How many were charged for Bombay Riots which took innocent lives too? The main culprit was rewarded with 'state funeral' https://t.co/NbvEmJuKAt
— IN UnPlugged (@INUnPlugged) June 16, 2017
1993 Mumbai Blast accused to be sentenced 24 years after, today. 1992 Bombay Riots accused roam free 25 years after. Justice? Lolz!
— Samar (@Samar_Anarya) June 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/sheikh_towheed/status/875688654471024640
1993 #BombayRiots victims still await justice. Good to see 1993 #BombayBombBlast victims get some justice.#MumbaiBlasts
— Jieyaa جویریہ (@swayinthewoods) June 16, 2017
