By IANS
Mumbai : A special court conducting trial of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts has summoned all the 23 who have been found not guilty, including three of the Memon family, to appear before it on Wednesday.
Judge Pramod Kode, who presides over the special court set up under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, Monday asked defence lawyers Farhana Shah and Subhash Kanse to inform all the persons to remain present, court sources said.
This indicates that Judge Kode may announce the formal acquittals of the 23. In all 123 people faced the trial of which 100 were found guilty.
The three members of the Memon family are Suleiman Menon, his mother Hanifa and Raheen. Actor Sanjay Dutt's friend Ajay Marwah is among the 23.
While pronouncing the acquittals, sources said, the judge will also give his detailed reasoning. After the acquittals are over, he would summon those who have been found guilty. The process of final verdict may take another couple of weeks. The court had started delivering judgement on Sep 12 last.
The others found not guilty are Ashfaque Havaldar, police constables Krishna Mokal, Krishna Pingle and Manohar More, Mansoor Qureshi, Shaikh Kasam Babulal, Sultan-e-Rome Ali Gul, Mohammed Iqbal Ibrahim, Abdul Aziz Abdul Kadar, Ruksana Zariwala, Mohammed Ahmed Mansoor, Moiuddin Cheruvatam, Ismail Patel, Anant Bhoir, Shakeel Shahbuddin Shaikh, Devidas Ghule, Sayed Ismail Kadri, Fasal Rehman Khan and Murad Khan.
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was convicted in November 2006 for possessing illegal weapons but was absolved of conspiracy charges.
The March 12, 1993 bombings that rocked India's financial and entertainment capital claimed 257 lives, besides maiming hundreds and destroying property worth Rs.300 million.