Mumbai, Feb 10 (IANS): The Bombay High Court Friday upheld the death sentence of the three people, including a woman, convicted for the 2003 Mumbai twin bomb blasts.

A special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) court here had in August 2009 awarded capital punishment to Ashrat Ansari, Hanif Sayed Anees and his wife Fehmida Sayed, holding them guilty of planting powerful bombs in two taxis that exploded at the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar in south Mumbai August 25, 2003, killing 52 persons.

A division bench of Justice A. M. Khanvilkar and Justice P.D. Kode upheld the verdict by the POTA court, which also held the trio guilty of causing a blast in a city bus in Ghatkopar in central Mumbai July 28, 2003, that had claimed two lives.

The prosecution had alleged that the trio belonged to the Lashkar-e-Taiba and had planned and carried out the blasts.

At least 103 witnesses were examined during the trial. One accused had turned approver, two others were discharged and another died during the trial.