'Badshah' Khan , terrorist turned police approver.

[Mariyam]

Was reading some stuff related to an old case my mom took up for archiving purposes. That involved me speaking to some other lawyers. Spoke to this old timer who tangential to our discussion, told me about 'Badshah' Khan and how he turned police approver. This is obviously not his real name. For the longest time doxxing him was a crime. Now the statute is done and his real name can be used.

 

Some background: 

After the 1992 post Babri riots, 'Badshah' Khan had some loss of property (unconfirmed?) and decided to take 'revenge'. He was a part of the 1993 blasts conspiracy. He went to Dubai and Pakistan for training. He helped assemble bombs. He wasn't able to place bombs or carry out an attack on the Mantralay because he chickened out.

 

This is also shown in the movie Black Friday (<---click to play) based on Hussain Zaidis' book of the same name.

 

After a few months of the run, he was caught. He was expecting more of the bosses behind the blasts: Tiger Memom and the ISI. But no real help came his way. He turned approver in jail.

 

https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/1993-mumbai-blasts-how-one-man-helped-trap-a-hundred/story-KoRPMEJkzK2ly6YuzYq9sN.html

 

https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/cover-story/1993-blasts-did-someone-say-closure/articleshow/19122807.html

 

The honourable court decided that approvers should have their names removed from the charge sheet.

 

https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-approvers-in-93-blasts-case-walk-away-free-1113397

 

As a result he has been living a 'reformed' life ever since.

 

Has even been arrested for attempted rape a few years ago.

https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/1993-bomb-blasts-witness-arrested---for-trying-to-rape-34-year-old--236663

 

 

Just out of interest, I watched this: An interview with the real 'Badshah' Khan.

 

Points of discussion

1) Is whitewashing the crimes of an approver a done deal from a legal stand point? Asking experts, I found that the law here is indeed very ambiguous. Perhaps @sarchasm could opine.

2) This person joined a mainstream nationalist political party.

3) In this specific case, he turned approver only after it was clear to him that it was the only way to escape life imprisonment/death. This is after attempting escape.

 

In my understanding of the case, Yakub Memon flew down to Nepal and gave himself up. Turned approved and was sentenced to death. His crimes were far lesser than Badshah Khan's. This is basis whatever material/judgement that I've read.

 

None the less, thought I'd share this.

 

@ravishingravi @sandeep @Gollum @coffee_rules ( get well soon!!! ) @BacktoCricaddict

[Mariyam]

Also, most of the accused were arrested under TADA Act, back then.

 

Here is a list:

 

https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/full-list-of-convicted-and-acquitted-in-1993-mumbai-blasts-case-53229.html

[bsriharsha]

Amnesty for crimes never sits right with me. 

 

Naxalites , terrorists or whatever. 

 

Someone who's killed people can't be granted amnesty. His sentence might be reduced but allowing them into politics etc is always a step too far for me 

[BacktoCricaddict]

It is an unfortunate reality of the world of crime, society and politics that, sometimes, in order to get information needed to save a thousand lives in the future, authorities must do the dirty thing and compromise with dirty criminals. It's all about leverage, and in this situation, if the criminal has information, he has leverage. 

 

49 minutes ago, bsriharsha said:

Amnesty for crimes never sits right with me. 

 

Naxalites , terrorists or whatever. 

 

Someone who's killed people can't be granted amnesty. His sentence might be reduced but allowing them into politics etc is always a step too far for me 

 

Unless of course, new evidence is found that exonerates them. 

[Lord]

Yes read about him after watching Black Friday. There is also an interview with him in his lavish

 

Approvers should just get less punishment not freed to live lavish life. 

 

 

[BacktoCricaddict]

6 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

 

Approvers should just get less punishment not freed to live lavish life. 

 

 

You are what you negotiate. If the authorities felt that he had some extremely important information that they could get nowhere else, he held all the cards. 

 

 

[Lord]

2 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

You are what you negotiate. If the authorities felt that he had some extremely important information that they could get nowhere else, he held all the cards. 

 

 

 

Once all the information was taken, could have just offed him

[Vickydev]

Harsh.

 

Yeah he's a terrible actor at (most) times but definitely a stretch to call him a terrorist for that. 

[bsriharsha]

14 hours ago, Lord said:

 

Once all the information was taken, could have just offed him

Taking such a hardline prevents other informants from coming forward. 

 

There's got to be a better balance though.

[Mariyam]

On 12/5/2025 at 6:04 AM, Lord said:

 

Once all the information was taken, could have just offed him

If only it were that straight forward.

 

He gave information to the police. They make more arrests and dig more about the case basis that information. He also has to testify in the court. If the case drags on for years, he could be called multiples for cross examination. Which means that he can't be "offed" in between. 

 

His last deposition was in 2014 or 15, even after the verdicts were passed (2013).

 

PS: I already posted that interview video in the OP.

[Mariyam]

On 12/5/2025 at 6:01 AM, BacktoCricaddict said:

You are what you negotiate. If the authorities felt that he had some extremely important information that they could get nowhere else, he held all the cards. 

 

 

But why should the authorities make it obvious to him that he has all the cards?

 

As far as I have read, there were testimonies and confessions from others too. But they turned hostile in the court or just refused to depose for sic ideological reasons. Hence their names were on the chargesheet. 'Badshah' Khan agreed to appear in court, hence the clemency.

 

But the wider constitutional/legal question still remains: What kind of clemency can the courts show a person who's a part of a terrorist conspiracy is, trains in Pakistan and attempts to flee post the blasts. He didn't directly kill people because he chickened out and a blast (set up by his colleagues) happened close to where his vehicle was. 

 

There have to be legal guidelines here. This can't be ad hoc.

[coffee_rules]

It is a world of crime and not punishment, but plea bargains.  I think Yakub was given death penalty because he was Dawood’s brother and people wanted  payback for all the people killed in that bomb blasts. I have no remorse. 

[ravishingravi]

I couldn't understand why Yakub was given death sentence. There is a wonderful interview of his with Madhu Trehan. There are loopholes in his story but he didn't seem to be perpetrator. At best, silent spectator. 

 

 

[Lord]

9 hours ago, Mariyam said:

If only it were that straight forward.

 

He gave information to the police. They make more arrests and dig more about the case basis that information. He also has to testify in the court. If the case drags on for years, he could be called multiples for cross examination. Which means that he can't be "offed" in between. 

 

His last deposition was in 2014 or 15, even after the verdicts were passed (2013).

 

PS: I already posted that interview video in the OP.

 

And what's the guarantee he won't do a volte face or other crimes when he is 'free'? In the end he is a criminal too.

 

Yes sorry for that. Should I edit your post?

 

 

On 12/4/2025 at 5:29 AM, Mariyam said:

 

2) This person joined a mainstream nationalist political party.

 

 

Is this confirmed? Can't find anything.

[pkmmamks]

Badshah Khan became inspector Abhijeet in CiD, you dimwits 

[Mariyam]

On 12/7/2025 at 12:03 AM, Lord said:

 

And what's the guarantee he won't do a volte face or other crimes when he is 'free'? In the end he is a criminal too.

 

Yes sorry for that. Should I edit your post?

 

 

 

Is this confirmed? Can't find anything.

In his interview he claims to have joined the BJP.

 

After the trial is done, how does a volte face matter? Not sure what you are getting at?

[Mariyam]

On 12/6/2025 at 7:17 PM, coffee_rules said:

It is a world of crime and not punishment, but plea bargains.  I think Yakub was given death penalty because he was Dawood’s brother and people wanted  payback for all the people killed in that bomb blasts. I have no remorse. 

He is Tiger Memon's brother. 

 

Some Dawood's brothers were killed in the internecine gang wars.

[Mariyam]

On 12/6/2025 at 8:03 PM, ravishingravi said:

I couldn't understand why Yakub was given death sentence. There is a wonderful interview of his with Madhu Trehan. There are loopholes in his story but he didn't seem to be perpetrator. At best, silent spectator. 

 

 

With reasonable certainty it was proven that Yakub Memon:

 

1) Was aware of the conspiracy and refused to warn the authorities in advance. 

2) Partially Financed the blasts through his CA firm. Here  he claims that his PA also worked for Tiger, and transferred funds without his explicit knowledge. He claims that he was under the impression that he was giving Tiger Memon a business loan. 

3) He purchased the vehicles used in the blast in his wife's name. Again, he pleads innocent. One of the 5-6 vehicles was purchased a year before the blasts. That is even before the demolition of the Babri.

4) He stockpiled weapons in one of his flats. Here too he claimed that Tiger used the flat and the key was always with Tiger.

5) He purchased tickets for the perpetrator family to Dubai. And later to Pakistan.

 

Now should all of this call for a death penalty is an open discussion. He did after all, voluntarily come back.

 

IMO the courts were vindictive in this regard.

 

[ravishingravi]

39 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

With reasonable certainty it was proven that Yakub Memon:

 

1) Was aware of the conspiracy and refused to warn the authorities in advance. 

2) Partially Financed the blasts through his CA firm. Here  he claims that his PA also worked for Tiger, and transferred funds without his explicit knowledge. He claims that he was under the impression that he was giving Tiger Memon a business loan. 

3) He purchased the vehicles used in the blast in his wife's name. Again, he pleads innocent. One of the 5-6 vehicles was purchased a year before the blasts. That is even before the demolition of the Babri.

4) He stockpiled weapons in one of his flats. Here too he claimed that Tiger used the flat and the key was always with Tiger.

5) He purchased tickets for the perpetrator family to Dubai. And later to Pakistan.

 

Now should all of this call for a death penalty is an open discussion. He did after all, voluntarily come back.

 

IMO the courts were vindictive in this regard.

 

 

I agree with you. Tbh I dont know what actually happened. But I felt for him. Seemed like a deer in headlight than conspirator.

[coffee_rules]

2 hours ago, Mariyam said:

He is Tiger Memon's brother. 

 

Some Dawood's brothers were killed in the internecine gang wars.

Ya what was I thinking, blame the meds