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Gujarat High Court upholds death sentence of 38 jihadi terrorists and life imprisonment of 11 others

Case relating to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) – The Gujarat High Court has upheld the four-year-old judgment of the Special Trial Court in the case relating to the 22 serial bomb blasts that took place in Ahmedabad on 26 July 2008. The Court upheld the death sentence awarded to 38 of the 49 convicted jihadi terrorists and the life imprisonment awarded to the remaining 11.

The judgment was delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justice A.Y. Kogje and Justice Sameer Dave while deciding the appeals filed against the Trial Court’s 2022 judgment.

Among those whose death sentences were upheld are at least 13 from Gujarat, 8 from Uttar Pradesh, 5 each from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, 2 each from Kerala and Karnataka, and 1 from Bhagyanagar.

The serial bomb blasts targeted several locations, including Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, L.G. Hospital, buses, bicycles and four-wheelers. The attacks claimed 56 lives and left 200 people injured. Of the 24 bombs planted, one each at Kalol and Naroda failed to explode.

The prosecution argued that the accused had hatched the conspiracy to avenge the 2002 Godhra riots and to overthrow the democratically elected Government.

Editorial Perspective

  • It is shameful that even after 18 years; terrorists involved in bomb blasts in the country have still not received their actual punishment. Justice delayed is justice denied !
  • These terrorists will now approach the Supreme Court, where the case is likely to continue for several more years. Even if their sentences are ultimately upheld, they will file mercy petitions, resulting in further delays. Will they even remain alive by then ?

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