The TADA court in Mumbai today sentenced to life imprisonment former police sub-inspector V K Patil and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh for allowing a truck laden with arms to pass onward to the city prior to 1993 serial blasts, despite having intercepted it. Special TADA judge P Kode observed that Patil did not deserve any leniency as he had misused and abused his official position as a police sub-inspector posted at Wethe Srivardhan police station at Raigad. The court sentenced Patil to life imprisonment on the two charges of criminal conspiracy and aiding and abetting a terrorist act for which he was found guilty. It also directed Patil to deposit a fine of Rs 1 lakh each for the two counts on which he was found guilty. The court said that both life sentences are to run concurrently and Patil would have to serve rigorous imprisonment for three years each if he defaulted on payment of the two fine amounts. Four other constables, who were part of the raiding party, were yesterday sentenced to six years' rigorous imprisonment.
| 
