7/11 Mumbai train blasts: Prosecution seeks death for 8 convicts, sentencing on Sep 30

Mumbai: The prosecution in the Mumbai serial train blasts case on Wednesday pressed for death sentence for eight convicts, while demanding life imprisonment for four others.

The prosecution, which concluded arguments today, termed the 8 convicts as 'merchants of death'.

The prosecution had earlier indicated that it would not seek death penalty for all the 12 convicts.

A special MCOCA court, which is hearing the case, will on September 30 announce the quantum of sentence to the 12 out of 13 people convicted for their involvement in the July 11, 2006 Mumbai suburban train bombings.

Twelve people were convicted last week by the special court here in connection with the serial blasts that killed 188 people.

Designated MCOCA Judge Yatin D Shinde had on September 11 held them guilty of complicity in the crime while acquitting 34-year-old Abdul Wahid Shaikh, also an accused, in the case.

They were found guilty of planting bombs in local trains which exploded at various stations in the peak hours causing panic among the commuters returning home from work.

However, all the twelve convicts found guilty in the case, had pleaded for leniency in the court on the point of sentence citing humanitarian grounds.

The judge had called each convict before him and recorded their respective statements on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to them.

After the court recorded their statements, their lawyers and the prosecution began argument on the quantum of sentence.

(With PTI inputs)