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Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) Special Judge M.R. Puranik had found Mohammed Hanif Sayed, his wife Fahimida M. H. Sayed and their associate Ashrat Shafique Ansari guilty of carrying out the Aug 25, 2003, blasts in Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazar in which 54 people were killed and 244 injured.
The special judge may announce the sentence in the verdict after the prosecution and defence argue on the quantum of punishment for the guilty tomorrow.
"This is a major jolt for the LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) and it is the first time in India that a family has been found guilty of carrying out terrorist operations. In view of the serious charges against them, we shall seek the most stringent - death penalty - for the accused," prosecution lawyer Ujjwal Nikam said last week.
The defence lawyers, however, are adopting different strategies. Ashrat's lawyer S. Kunjuraman said that he would "remain totally silent" in the court.
"This is a baseless and meaningless judgement. There is not an iota of evidence against my client (Ashrat) to hold him guilty. I shall move the Bombay High Court, whatever be the outcome tomorrow," Kunjuraman told.
According to Sayeds laywer,Wahab Khan, he would strongly oppose the prosecution plea for death penalty and push for life sentences.
"Our contention is that this is not the rarest of rare cases, so it does not warrant the death penalty. My clients had no personal grudge against any of the victims in the incidents, they were simply misguided and indoctrinated," Khan told.
Khan said a petition against POTA Special Court judgement will be made in the High Court after consulting his clients.
The Sayeds minor daughter Farheen, though involved in the operation, was not charged under POTA and was discharged from the case a few years ago, according to Kunjuraman.
