Ejaz Pathan, one-time close associate of absconding prime conspirator Dawood Ibrahim, and Mohammad Dawood Khan were on Monday found guilty by the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court for their complicity in 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai.
Pathan was found guilty under Section 3(3) of TADA for participating in a conspiracy meeting in Dubai, called by Dawood and Tiger Memon, to engineer bomb blasts in Mumbai.
Pathan was also found guilty of providing his men for landing of arms and ammunition at Shekhadi coast.
Judge P D Kode also convicted Pathan under Section 5 of TADA for possessing three AK 56 rifles and nine magazines, which were part of weapons smuggled by Dawood and Memon in pursuance of the blasts conspiracy.
Pathan was also convicted under Section 6 of TADA (enhanced punishment for violating other acts) and Section 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy). But the court did not find Pathan guilty of sending his men to Pakistan via Dubai for arms training, as the evidence provided by Central Bureau of Investigation was not sufficient on this count.
Pathan's associate Khan was found guilty under Section 5 of TADA and under the Arms Act for possessing three AK 56 rifles and nine magazines.
But Khan was not found guilty under Section 6 of TADA as he was not aware for what purpose the weapons were being kept with him.
Khan was also absolved of charges of conspiracy as the prosecution could not prove its case.
Both Pathan and Khan face punishment ranging from five years rigorous imprisonment to life sentence. With Monday's convictions, the total number of people found guilty in the blasts case has risen to 79.
More from rediff