Mustafa Dossa, Abu Salem and 4 others convicted in 1993 Mumbai blasts

The TADA Special Court in Mumbai has convicted the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai blasts case Mustafa Dossa and extradited gangster Abu Salem along with four others on various charges, including conspiracy and murder, in the 1993 Mumbai serial blast case.

The other four convicted include Tahir Merchant, Riyaz Siddiqui, Abdul Rashid Khan and Kareemullah Khan.

The conviction comes nearly 24 years after the coordinated series of blasts in the Mumbai city in 1993 left 257 people dead and another 800 wounded, in some of the most deadly bombings.

The anti-terrorism court said the six had transported weapons and planted bombs, which targeted landmark buildings in the financial hub, including the main stock exchange.

A seventh man, Abdul Qayyum, was acquitted for want of sufficient evidence.

Dossa was convicted on charges of conspiracy and murder under various sections of the IPC besides offences under the TADA Act, the Arms Act and the Explosives Act, while Salem was found guilty of transporting weapons from Gujarat to Mumbai ahead of the blasts.

Abu Salem who had also handed over AK 56 rifles, 250 rounds and some hand grenades to actor Sanjay Dutt (who was an accused in the case for illegally possessing weapons) at his residence on 16 January 1993. Two days later, on 18 January 1993, Salem and two others went to Dutt's house and got back two rifles and some rounds.

Dossa also arranged for the arms and ammunition for the blasts with his brother Mohammed Dossa and made travel arrangements for some of the persons involved to meet absconder mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

Earlier, the court had dropped certain charges against Salem in 2013 after the investigating agency CBI moved a plea, saying those charges were against the extradition treaty between India and Portugal.

Dossa allegedly masterminded the landing of explosives, including RDX, in India and sent some youth to Pakistan to acquire arms training to execute the blasts.

The dastardly attacks had left 257 dead, 713 persons seriously injured and destroyed properties worth Rs27 crore.