Key convict in 1993 Mumbai blasts case Mustafa Dossa passes away a day after getting death penalty

One of the main convicts, key conspirators and executor of the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, Mustafa Dossa, passed away due to a heart attack at JJ Hospital on Wednesday afternoon. Dossa was admitted to JJ Hospital in the wee hours on 28 June, where he died within a few hours of admission.

Dossa enjoyed a considerable amount of clout amongst the inmates of Arthur Road Jail due to his reach in the underworld and his connection with Dawood Ibrahim. He had slipped into depression after Yakub Memon was hanged two years ago as he feared that the same fate would befall him. During the hearing at Special TADA court, on 2 August 2015, he had even asked the judge whether he would also be hanged like Yakub Memon.

Things went worse after he was convicted on 16 June.

Dossa's condition deteriorated late night on Tuesday as the prosecution sought a death penalty for him earlier in the day. Advocate Rizwan Merchant, who represented Dossa at the Special TADA court confirmed the death.

The prosecution had demanded a death penalty for him along with the others accused in the 1993 balsts. Dossa was convicted on charges of conspiracy and murder under various sections of IPC and TADA Act, the Arms Act, the Explosives Act.

The case has now been adjourned.

Also read: 1993 Mumbai blasts victims get justice after 24 yrs: Abu Salem, Mustafa Dossa & others convicted

Dossa was convicted along with five others including Firoz Khan, Abu Salem, Krimullah Sheikh, Mohammed Tahir alias Tahir Taklya and Riyaz Siddique on 16 June.

After the conviction, the prosecution began arguments for the quantum of punishment for the guilty. The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), sought capital punishment for Dossa and the other accused Firoz Khan. CBI counsel Deepak Salvi argued on Tuesday that both Dossa and Khan had played a key role in conspiring and executing the 1993 blasts in Mumbai. Salvi added that the duo be awarded death sentence since the crime was rarest of rare.

Salvi pointed out that Dossa had arranged for the explosives and the men to execute the blasts. According to the prosecution, Dossa also financed the Dubai visits of the other accused to meet Dawood Ibrahim, to plan and execute the blasts.

According to the prosecution, the magnitude of the crime committed by Dossa was more serious than that of Yakub Memon, and therefore, he should be given capital punishment.

Dossa was the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai blasts. He smuggled arms, ammunition, detonators, hand grenades and RDX into India via Shekhadi village on the coast of Raigad district of Maharashtra. He also helped Tiger Memon and Chhota Shakeel organise training camps in Pakistan and in India.

Edited by Jhinuk Sen