A TADA court in Mumbai on Tuesday sentenced two persons to life imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

The two convicts sentenced today are Imtiyaz Ghawte and Nasim Barmare.

Ghawte was convicted in November last for having participated in the Shekhadi landing of arms and explosives prior to the blasts and planting a RDX-laden scooter at the busy Dhanji Street in Central Mumbai, which failed to explode.

Barmare was convicted for throwing hand grenades into the city's international airport during the serial blasts.

Ghawte had been convicted under the TADA (P) Act, conspiracy and attempt to murder under the Indian Penal Code, the Explosive Substances Act and the Explosives Act.

The court has so far sentenced 77 of the 100 found guilty of participating in carrying out the serial blasts in the city on March 12, 1993 that killed 257 people and injuring over 700.

While sentencing Ghawte to two concurrent life sentences, special judge P D Kode observed that it was only due to the grace of God that this scooter had not exploded.

Ghawte, who is HIV positive, has sought to stay in a the Arthur Road jail expressing fear that he may not receive proper medical treatment on account of his condition.

Earlier, former customs official Somnath Thapa, who was to be sentenced on Tuesday by the court, failed to appear stating that he was suffering from viral fever while he is already a cancer patient.