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Surat: A TADA court on Saturday convicted former Gujarat fisheries minister Mohammed Surti in the 1993 Surat bomb blasts case and sentenced him to 20 years in jail.

Special Tada Court Judge RP Dholadia justified the life term of 20 years for Surti describing the case as rarest of the rare crime. The court also found 11 others guilty in the case.

A school girl was killed and 16 others injured in the bomb blasts on January 18, 1993. The blasts, which followed the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, took place at the Surat Railway station and at Varachha.

The blast at Varachha had claimed the life of a girl, Alpa Patel, and injured 11 others, while that on the railway station had wounded around 20 people.

Surti, was a minister in the Congress government in the 1980s, was linked with some of the accused who came from a relief camp set up for post-Barbri Masjid riot victims.

He was arrested after his role in the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts came to light.

However, six other accused were acquitted in the case. Around 160 witnesses deposed in the case.

(With inputs from Meghdoot Sharon)

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