MUMBAI, Feb 10 � The Bombay High Court today upheld the death sentence of three LeT members, including a couple, in the 2003 twin Mumbai blasts that claimed 52 lives.
A division bench of Justice AM Khanvilkar and PD Kode confirmed the death penalty awarded to Ashrat Ansari (32), Hanif Sayed Anees (46) and his wife Fehmida Sayed (43) but partially quashed the order of the trial court discharging two other accused on the basis of a report of the POTA review committee.
The High Court upheld death sentence awarded to them on all three counts of perpetrating terror, criminal conspiracy and murder.
Mohammed Ansari Ladoowala and Mohammed Hasan Batterywala will now have to face trial, but only under IPC charges that had been levelled against them and not under POTA. The court directed them to appear before the trial court in four weeks for proceedings to be initiated.
The bench, however, stayed the sentence for eight weeks to allow the convicts to file an appeal in the Supreme Court, in response to the request of their counsel, Sudeep Pasbola. � PTI
