Shahnawaz Mustafa Dossa learned of his father's death only through news channels
Mustafa Dossa on judgment day on June 16 this year
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Shahnawaz Mustafa Dossa learned of his father's death only through news channels. "We waited outside JJ Hospital for three-and-a-half hours, but no one — neither the jail staff nor the hospital authorities — gave us updates on his condition," says the eldest son of the 1993 blasts convict.
Shahnawaz, who owns a shop in south Mumbai's Manish Market, says on the date of every court hearing, the family was apprised of Dossa's movement from a messenger posted outside Arthur Road Jail. As and when the messenger spotted Dossa, he informed the family, who then set off for the court.
Relatives gather outside Dossa's home in Agripada. Pic/Bipin Kokate
Yesterday, the messenger waited till 10.30 am. When there was no sight of Dossa, he enquired with the jail authorities and learned that he had been hospitalised. The family was immediately alerted, who rushed to JJ Hospital within half an hour. "But, there was no communication. We met the hospital dean once and learned that my father had stopped breathing and had been put on the ventilator. After that, there was no word. We finally found out that he died through news channels," says Shahnawaz.
He says his mother was the only family member who last interacted with Dossa. "The court allowed only one family member to meet him for 10 minutes last week. They couldn't talk much owing to the time crunch. He passed on Eid greetings for the rest of the family."
Dossa, maintains the son, refused to accept his role in the serial blasts till the end. "He said he had only smuggled goods with [underworld don] Dawood, and that there was no other communication with him." Shahnawaz says the family planned on approaching the Supreme Court after announcement of the quantum of punishment.
As word on Dossa's death got around, many relatives gathered at JJ Hospital yesterday. The family will perform his last rites after receiving his body.
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