By IANS
Mumbai : A special court here trying the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts cases Tuesday awarded sub inspector V.K. Patil life in prison for conspiracy and abetment in terrorist acts.
Patil was given the sentence, the first life term awarded to an accused in the case, on both counts under the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) that will run concurrently. A fine of Rs.100,000 was also imposed on him. He will have to serve an additional three years in prison for default.
He was in charge of the police party that had intercepted on Jan 9, 1993, the smuggled consignment of arms meant for carrying out the blasts. Patil allowed it to pass for a bribe of Rs.700,000.
The TADA court sentenced six others to rigorous imprisonment on the two counts. While five have been jailed for six years, one has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Six of the convicts had gone to Pakistan for arms training but they did not participate in the final act of terror. Each of them has also been fined Rs 15,000 of three months in jail for default.
The serial blasts had killed 257 people and left hundreds injured.