2003 Mumbai Blast Case : Supreme Court Seeks Reports Of Probation Officer & Psychologist Regarding Death Row Convicts

The Supreme Court today (January 7) called for the records of the probation officers and the psychologists regarding two convicts who are in the death rowin the 2003 Mumbai bomb blast case. The Court indicated that it will hear the criminal appeals soon, though no specific date has been given.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta passed the order in the criminal appeals challenging the Bombay High Court's order dated February 10, 2012.

By the said order, the death penalty granted by the Trial Court to three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives including a married couple was affirmed by the High Court. They were accused in the twin blasts in which 54 persons were killed, 244 persons were injured and property worth Rs. 1,60,00,00 was damaged in the following incident. Bombs were planted by them along with 2 other accused persons at Seepz Bus Deport MIDC, LBS Junction Ghatkopar, Zaveri Bazar, and Gateway of India.

In total, five persons were charged for the bomb blast at three places and for an attempt at the Seepz Bus Deport, where the bomb was diffused before the explosion.

The chargesheet against the accused persons were filed in February 2004 under 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, read with 3, 4, 5(1) & 20 of the POTA read with Section 302, 307, 427 of IPC and Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908; Section 9(B) of the Explosive Act, 1884 and Section 3 of the Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.

The Trial Court awarded the death penalty to Ashrat@Arshad Shafiq Ahmad Ansari, Fehmida, and Syed Mohammed Hanif Abdul Rahim (since deceased).  

Before the Supreme Court, the two criminal appeals challenged the death penalty awarded to Ashrat@Arshad Shafiq Ahmad Ansari and Fehmida. 

Case Details: Ashrat@Arshad Shafiq Ahmad Ansari v. State of Maharashtra, Crl A No. 776/2012; Fehmida v. State of Maharastra, Crl A. No. 777-78/2012