By IANS
Coimbatore : A special court here Friday announced the last five sentences in the 1998 serial blasts case, awarding life imprisonment to three accused and 13-year jail terms to two others. The court discharged approver Riaz-ur-Rahman.
Rahman would, however, not be set free as he is involved in three other cases.
Special Judge K. Uthirapathi said the judgements against all the 70 accused would be made available Monday.
The accused were tried for causing the devastating bomb blasts that rocked this textile city Feb 14, 1988, killing 58 people and injuring over 250 on a day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani was to address an election meeting. On Wednesday, 31 Islamic radicals were given life sentences and on Thursday nine men were given the sentence.
There were reports of sweets being distributed in the heart of Kottaimedu, the city’s Muslim quarter, after the curtains came down on the marathon sentencing exercise that lasted over two months.
They were celebrating the release of nine convicts who had completed their sentences as under trials.