1993 blasts accused Mustafa Dossa travelled with woman on train; criminal offence against police escort team

A file photo of Mustafa Dossa being taken to court

A SPECIAL court has accepted a report submitted by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), observing that criminal offences are made out against the police escort party in-charge and others who had allowed Mumbai 1993 blasts accused Mustafa Dossa to travel with a woman on a train to Porbandar. The court said that while the police officials were expected to be ‘extra cautious’ with the accused, they were ‘extra lenient’.

Special Judge Govind A Sanap directed Deven Bharti, the joint commissioner, to “independently consider lodging prosecution” against those found guilty in the inquiry. The report had stated that the police officials, including the police escort party in-charge Assistant Police Inspector Ayaz Patel and his subordinates, had committed offences, including public servant disobeying law and framing incorrect record with intent to save a person from punishment, furnishing false information and concealing design to commit offence which he is duty-bound to prevent. Special public prosecutor Deepak Salvi also submitted that offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act are made out against them.

Apart from the police, Salvi recommended action against Sabina Khatri, the woman who was travelling with Dossa, for forging documents to show that she was his wife and an associate of Dossa for bribing the police officials. A newspaper report in January had said that the police officials had looked the other way while allowing Khatri to travel with Dossa while on the way to Porbandar in Gujarat for a court hearing.

“The officers are required to be dealt with strictly so that in future it would create deterrence for officers. Those on escort duty accompanying criminals would not dare to indulge in such activities,” Judge Sanap said. While the police had submitted its first report in February, the court was not satisfied with it and directed further inquiry. The police then submitted a report on June 6 which was accepted by the court. Dossa, an undertrial in the 1993 blasts, died on June 28 before the court could pronounce its quantum of punishment against him after finding him guilty of charges of criminal conspiracy and murder.