A special court on February 18, 2022 awarded death sentence to 38 out of the 49 convicts and life imprisonment to 11others in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts case. This is the highest number of convicts to be sentenced to death in a single case in India's history.
The court also imposed a fine worth Rs 2.85 lakh on each of the 48 convicts in 7015-pages long order. The death sentence was awarded to the 38 convicts under IPC Section 302 (murder) and Sections 10 and 16(1) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. A fine worth Rs 25000 was also imposed on each of the 38 convicts for each of the three offences.
The court awarded life imprisonment to 11 other convicts under IPC Section 302 and UAPA Sections 10 and 16. The 11 convicts were also fined Rs 25000 each.
A Special Court pronounced its verdict in the 2008 Ahmedabad Blast case today. During the framing of charges, it was said that then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi was the target. An accused confessed it in his statement before the Magistrate: Sudhir Brahmbhatt, Chief Public Prosecutor pic.twitter.com/XpWj7zCgvE
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2022
Judge AR Patel also ordered compensation worth Rs 1 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in the Ahmedabad serial blasts and Rs 50,000 to those who suffered a series of injuries in the blast and Rs 25000 each to those who suffered minor injuries.
Ahmedabad Blast Case Verdict
The prosecution had sought a death sentence for all 49 convicts but defence lawyers requested the court for leniency considering their socio-economic conditions.
All the convicts are currently lodged in different jails in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Gaya and Taloja.
The special court had held 49 people guilty in the Ahmedabad bomb blast case on February 8, 2022 and acquitted 28 others giving them the benefit of doubt.
All 49 convicts were found guilty of various charges including murder, criminal conspiracy, sedition, unlawful activities, terrorist activity and attempting to wage war against the nation, all of which are punishable by death.
The case trial was conducted by the special court after merging 35 different cases and 20 FIRs filed in Ahmedabad and 15 in Surat.
One of the convicts, Usman Agarbattiwala was found guilty of Arms Act's Section 25 (1) B(a) and was awarded a year of imprisonment under the provision.
Ahmedabad Serial Bomb Blasts 2008
A total of 56 people were killed and 246 others were injured when serial bomb blasts occurred in Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008.
Around 22 explosions occurred in the city, including one outside the trauma centre of the Civil Hospital. This was where most casualties were reported. Another explosion was reported in the parking lot of LG Hospital.
Other explosions occurred in places including buses, parked cycles and cars. There were reportedly 24 bombs, but the ones at Kalol and Naroda did not go off.
Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the attack and termed it as a reprisal of the 2002 Gujarat Riots.
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