From ‘Black Friday’ to convictions: A timeline of 1993 Mumbai serial blast case

The day of March 12, 1993, was indeed a black Friday for Mumbai when 12 coordinated blast shock the metropolitan city resulting in the death of 257 innocent people and injuring over 700.

The blast took place at the following places Bombay stock exchange, Fisherman's Colony in Mahim causeway, Zaveri Bazaar, Plaza Cinema, Century Bazaar, Katha Bazaar, Hotel Sea Rock, Terminal at Sahar Airport (now known as CSIA), Air India Building, Hotel Juhu Centaur, Worli, Passport Office, Masjid- Mandvi Corporation Bank Branch.

After 24 years on Thursday a special TADA court sentenced convicts, Abu Salem to life imprisonment, Tahir Merchant and Feroz Khan sentenced to death. Karimullah Khan, the mastermind was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1993 Mumbai blast case.

Let’s take a look at the timeline of events from the dreadful day of the blast to the sentencing of the accused.

*March 12, 1993: A series of 12 explosions rock Mumbai resulting in 257 fatalities and injuries to 713 others.

* April 19, 1993: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt (accused number 117) arrested.

* November 4, 1993: Over 10,000 page-long primary charge sheet filed against 189 accused, including Dutt.

* November 19, 1993: Case handed over to CBI.

* April 10, 1995: 26 accused discharged by the TADA court. Charges framed against the remaining accused.

   Supreme Court discharges two more accused, travel agent Abu Asim Azmi (Samajwadi Party leader) and Amjed Meher Baux.

* April 19, 1995: First leg of trial commences.

* June 30, 1995: Two accused, Mohammed Jameel and Usman Jhankanan, turn approvers in the case.

* October 14, 1995: Dutt granted bail by SC.

* October 2000: Examination of 684 prosecution witnesses (in first leg of trial) ends.

* March 9-July 18, 2001: Accused record their statements.

*August 9, 2001 to August 22, 2002: Prosecution and defence arguments take place.

*September 18, 2002: Abu Salem detained in Lisbon, Portugal.

*March 20, 2003: Accused Mustafa Dossa arrested by CBI at IGI Airport, New Delhi on his arrival from Dubai.

* September 2003: Main trial ends. TADA court in Mumbai reserves judgement.

*January 9, 2004: Charges framed against Dossa.

*November 11, 2005: Salem extradited to India.

* December 9, 2005: Charges framed against Salem.

* June 13, 2006: Abu Salem's trial separated.

* August 10, 2006: Judge P D Kode says judgement will be pronounced on September 12.

* September 12, 2006: Court starts delivering the judgement, pronounces four members of the Memon family guilty, and acquits three. Later, 12 convicts were awarded death penalty while 20 were given life sentence. Other convicts were handed over different sentences.

*February 2007: Main trial concludes. Second leg involving seven accused begins.

*July 25, 2010: Salem attacked by Dossa inside Arthur Road jail.

* November 1, 2011: Supreme Court begins hearing on appeals filed by 100 convicts as well as the state in the case.

* August 29, 2012: Supreme Court reserves its order on the appeals.

* March 16, 2013: Sanjay Dutt surrenders before the court after SC upholds the conviction.

* March 21, 2013: Supreme Court upholds death sentence of convict Yakub Memon, brother of Tiger Memon, and commutes death sentence of 10 convicts to life term. Life imprisonment of 16 out of 18 convicts also upheld.

*June 28, 2013: Salem shot at in Taloja Central jail in Navi Mumbai allegedly by gangster Devendra Jagtap alias JD, an accused in the murder case of advocate Shahid Azmi, who had represented a 26/11 Mumbai attack accused.

*August 13, 2013: TADA court drops certain charges against Salem.

*February 25, 2015: Salem sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with the murder of city based builder Pradeep Jain.

*July 30, 2015: Key conspirator and lone death row convict in the case, Yakub Memon hanged.

*December 7, 2015: The court ends recording of the statement of the (seven) accused and starts hearing final arguments in the case.

*February 25, 2016: Dutt released from Yerwada jail.

*June 8, 2016: Court rejects plea of accused Firoz Abdul Rashid in which he said that he wants to become an approver.

*March 2017: Trial concludes and case reserved for judgement.

*June 16, 2017: TADA court in Mumbai convicts six accused including Dossa and Salem in second leg of trial in the blasts case; acquits one.

*June 28, 2017: Dossa died of cardiac arrest at J J Hospital in Mumbai,shortly after being convicted

On September 7, 2017: TADA court sentences convict Feroz Khan to death, Tahir Merchant to death, Riyaz Siddiqui to 10 years imprisonment, Abu Salem to life imprisonment and Karimullah Sheikh has been given life imprisonment along with Rs 2 lakh fine.