Mumbai, May 23
The special court set up under the Terrorism And Disruptive Activities Act to hear the serial bomb blasts that rocked Mumbai in 1993 today pronounced sentences on five more persons, who had transported explosives used in the blasts. They were given between six and 14 years of jail for their role in transporting explosives in the terror strike.

Uttam Podar, who was the landing agent for the Dawood Ibrahim gang responsible for landing the explosives at Dighi in Raigard, was sentenced on two counts to 14 and 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. He was also fined Rs 100,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively. Mohammad Lalpuria, alias Mechanic Chacha, another landing agent, was sentenced to two terms of 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs 50,000. Multiple sentences of both men would run concurrently.

Tulsi Ram, a guard at a microwave tower who allowed the gang members to store the explosives in the government property, was sentenced to nine years in jail and a fine of Rs 50,000. Another sentence of six months and a fine of Rs 50,000 was made on him for not disclosing this to the police.

Abdul Aziz Gharatkar, a teenager at the time of the blasts, was sentenced to six years in prison and fined Rs 50,000. Judge Pramod Kode of the TADA court noted that the court was lenient on Gharatkar on account of his youth.

The fifth person, Sajad Alam, was sentenced to seven years in jail and fined Rs 50,000. He had accompanied Gharatkar.