Eighty-two-year-old Mohammed Dawood Phanse and 75-year-old Sharif Abdul Gafoor Parkar, convicted in the 1993 bomb blast case, pleaded for mercy on Monday before a TADA court. They said they were sick and wished to return home after 13 years in prison.

Appearing before the Designated Judge P D Kode, Phanse was in tears and said he wanted to die in peace at his home in Raigad district.

"If I have committed a mistake or any offences I hereby apologise but please show mercy on me as I am an old man and suffering from several diseases," said Phanse, who was convicted last week of participating in a conspiracy meeting called by absconding accused Dawood Ibrahim [Images] in Dubai.

Dressed in a white dress and a skull cap, Phanse said he was suffering from heart ailment, asthama and knee problem and was advised operation for replacement of knee cap.

He said he had two wives, aged 70 years and 65 years, and both were sick. He said he had a 35-year-old daughter who insisted that she would get married only when he returned home.

With tears in his eyes, Phanse told the court that he was unable to get his son and daughter married during the last 13 years as he was in prison and also because of his poor financial condition.

Parkar said he was sick and was suffering from piles and hernia, for which he had been advised to undergo operation.

"I want to return home as my family is waiting to receive me," he told the judge, who recorded Phanse's statement on quantum of sentence.

Parkar said his conduct in jail was good throughout and there had been no complaints against him in the last 13 years since he was lodged in custody.

"I will be answerable to God if I have committed any sins but now I want to go home and finish my uncompleted tasks," he told the judge with folded hands.

Parkar claimed that he had, in the past, helped the authorities and as an informer of Customs and DRI officers he had given valuable tips.

Phanse was found guilty of attending a conspiracy meeting in Dubai and organising landing of arms and explosives in Shekhadi coast of Raigad district on February 3 and 7, 1993.

Parkar was, however, acquitted of charges of bribe paid to customs officers to allow arms consignment to pass through from Raigad coast to Mumbai as CBI failed to prove its case.

Parkar was also acquitted of the charge of participating in arms training although the judge found him responsible for showing the training spot to co-accused.

However, the court found Parkar guilty of organising a meeting of customs officers with Tiger Memon in Raigad district to lure them with bribes to allow a smooth passage for arms and ammunition prior to the bomb blasts.

The court also found Parkar guilty of organising landing operations of arms and explosives in Raigad district on February 3 and 9, 1993 but acquitted him of conspiracy charge saying that Parkar was not aware of the contents of the consignment which carried arms and explosives.