A special MCOCA Court on Wednesday awarded death penalty to five and life sentence to seven others, all convicted in the 7/11 serial blasts in Mumbai suburban trains which killed 189 people.
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Speaking to reporters after the quantum of punishment was delivered, Gulzar Azmi of Jamiat-ul Ulema -which provides legal aid to the convicts – said they will move a higher court.
Earlier, on September 11, it had convicted 12 of the 13 accused, all allegedly having links with banned SIMI, while acquitting one.
The blast occurred between Khar Road-Santacruz, Bandra-Khar Road, Jogeshwari-Mahim Junction, Mira Road- Bhayander, Matunga- Mahim Junction and Borivali.
After the examination of witnesses, the defence advocates pleaded leniency, saying that the 12 convicts were merely the pawns of mastermind Azam Cheema, member of Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba.
While 22 accused were arrested in connection with the blasts, 15 are still absconding.
On July 11, 2006, seven blasts tore through the first-class compartments of crowded local trains of Mumbai in a span of 11 minutes during the evening rush hour as millions of office-goers were heading home.
The prosecution had asked for the death sentence for eight of the convicts, calling them “merchants of death”.
The ATS charge sheet had said that Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were made in a room in Govandi in suburban Mumbai and a few Pakistani nationals were also present during the bomb-making.
The trial concluded on August 19, 2014 and Special Judge Y.D. Shinde pronounced his judgement.
“The long-awaited decision on the July 7, 2006 serial blasts has been given out”.
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During the marathon trial, the prosecution produced 188 witnesses, including many commuters, survivors, doctors, police personnel and others, with their deposition running into almost 5,500 pages.
