In Yakub Memon's grave beautification row, details emerge of alleged MVA govt coverup

After the beautification of the Mumbai-based grave of Yakub Memon, convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, Republic accessed proof of a coverup by the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra on Thursday. In an October 2019-dated letter, addressed to the then Commissioner of Police, Param Bir Singh, a former Assistant Nazir at Juma Masjid Trust had accused the trustees of forgery, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and manipulation among others. 

In the letter, highlighting that the affairs and management of the trust are required to be run as per the 'Revised Deed' approved by the High Court, the said person said, "It has been observed that from December 18, 2016, when the 5 new trustees were elected, and the new Board of Trustees is constituted, the management has gone awry and violated the provisions of the law deliberately."

Issues with 'Bada Qabrastaan' flagged

In the said letter, the person had also flagged that the 'Bada Qabrastaan' in Marine Lines, which is under the Trust had stopped allotting Ottas (burial space) since 1984, in light of the limited space and increase in the Muslim population in South Bombay. "Due to non-allotment of any Otta officially, the desire to possess an Otta in the Bada Qabrastaan amongst Mumbai Muslims is great against the diminishing burial space. Because of this very reason, unscrupulous persons, including some of the present trustees are trying to encash this opportunity by selling Otta fraudulently and dishonestly," the letter read. 

For involvement in the multiple blasts which rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993, killing 257 people and injuring more than 1400, Yakub Memon was hanged at the Nagpur Central Jail on July 30, 2015. Memon's mortal remains were then airlifted to Mumbai, and he was buried at Bada Qabrastan, where his parents are also buried. 

Beautification of Yakub Memon's grave

On Wednesday, Republic TV accessed pictures of beautification with LED lights and marble tiles on the 1993 Mumbai blast convict's grave in Bada Kabrastan in the Marine Lines area of South Mumbai. Thereafter, the Maharashtra government got the lighting arrangements removed, ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report at the earliest.

Demanding an apology from Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, BJP MLA Ram Kadam said, "Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister. During that period, the grave of the dreaded terrorist Yakub Memon, who carried out the 1993 bombing in Mumbai at the behest of Pakistan, turned into a mausoleum. Is this their love for Mumbai, is this their patriotism? Along with Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi should apologize to the people of Mumbai".