How Mumbai blasts verdict may influence Babri Masjid demolition case against LK Advani, others
The prosecution said the March 12 Mumbai blasts were carried out to avenge the December 6, 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid three months before the attacks.
The Babri Masjid demolition and its aftermath are slowly but steadily seem to reaching its logical conclusion. Today, a special TADA court in Mumbai found Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa, Firoz Abdul Rashid Khan, Tahir Merchant, Karimullah Khan guilty of all charges in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
OBJECTIVE OF 1993 MUMBAI BLASTS
The prosecution said the March 12 Mumbai blasts were carried out to avenge the December 6, 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid three months before the attacks.
The prosecution further said the object of the crime was to commit terrorist acts with the intention of overawing the Government of India, striking terror on the people, alienating section of the people and harming the communal harmony.
According to the CBI, the members of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's gang along with other absconding accused Tiger Memon, Mohammed Dossa and Mustafa Dossa hatched a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts in India. These were in response to the demotion of Babri Mosque.
Meanwhile, the Babri Mosque demolition case is also making progress, albeit belated.
BABRI MOSQUE DEMOLITION CASE
Two FIRs were registered after the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
While the case of 28 accused was taken up in Lucknow CBI court, six of them died. Former deputy prime minister Advani and seven other were charge sheeeted in Raebareli court. Two of them - VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Giriraj Kishore - died pending trial.
The Supreme Court had on April 19 directed that Advani, Union Minister Uma Bharti and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi would face trial on conspiracy charges. It also transferred their case from Raebareli to Lucknow.
Besides the BJP three leaders, the conspiracy charge have also been invoked against Vinay Katiar, Sadhvi Ritambara and Vishnu Hari Dalmia, who were being tried at Raebareli.
1993 MUMBAI BLASTS ORDER'S BEARING ON BABRI DEMOLITION CASE
With the court taking up the Babri Masque demolition case, it can only be hoped that the matter would reach its logical conclusion in the course of time.
It is most likely that the prosecution in the Babri demolition case would cite the TADA court's order in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case to buttress their argument. They may build up their case against Advani, Joshi, Uma and others saying these leaders must be convicted because they were the raison detre for the 1993 Mumbai blasts.
They may further argue that had these leaders not conspired to demolish the mosque, not just the 1993 Mumbai blasts but several other terrorist attacks would not have taken place. These arguments may have a strong bearing on the Babri mosque demotion case.
Also read:
1993 Mumbai serial blasts: Abu Salem, five others found guilty by TADA court, Abdul Qayyum acquitted
1993 blasts: What happened on Mumbai's black Friday
Mumbai blasts: Moment of reckoning
1993 Mumbai blasts: A recap of the day that shook India
1993 Mumbai blasts case: Abu Salem's confession in 2005 helped prosecution to convict others