more-in Mumbai: Taher Merchant, a convict and one of the key conspirators of the 1993 bomb blasts, died in Yerawada central jail, Pune, in the early hours of Wednesday. One of the two convicts who was awarded the death sentence, Merchant was a committed player, and was actively involved in the planning and coordination. According to prison officials, Merchant, who was convicted in June last year, complained of chest pain at 3 a.m. on Wednesday. “He was taken to Sassoon Hospital, where he passed away while under treatment at 3.45 a.m.,” Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay said. Often called Taher Taklya due to his bald head, Merchant was born in Dongri and grew up along with Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, who is wanted in the case. He became a loyal D-gang member and left with Mr. Kaskar when the latter fled the country to the United Arab Emirates. Merchant was actively involved in the tehreek-e-inteqaam (movement for revenge), a widespread reaction to the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, which was observed in several Islamic countries. Merchant, who was in Dubai at the time, became involved with Taufiq Jaliawala, a known agent of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). “Merchant and Jaliawala started looking for recruits for the tehreek, who would execute a revenge mission in India. During this time, Merchant met Ibrahim Mushtaq alias Tiger Memon. They were both part of a meeting held in Dubai some time between late December 1992 and early January 1993, in which Merchant assured all financial and logistical support, while Mr. Memon promised to take care of the planning and execution,” a retired Mumbai Police officer, who probed the blasts, said. Officers said Merchant’s role in the blasts was coordination between the ISI and Mr. Kaskar’s gang, procurement of research developed explosive and assault rifles, their transport to India, travel and accommodation of volunteers who were taken to Pakistan for training, and distributing money to them, which was sent by Merchant to Mr. Memon through hawala channels.

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