Ahmedabad: A special court here Tuesday convicted 49 persons in the case related to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts. The serial blasts had claimed 56 lives and left over 200 injured. In his verdict, which came 13 years after the deadly blasts, special judge AR Patel acquitted 28 accused, giving them the benefit of doubt.
A total of 20 explosions had ripped through the city July 26, 2008. The hearing on the quantum of punishment for the convicts will start from Wednesday, the court said. Those who were held guilty included Safdar Nagori, Javed Ahmed and Atikur Rehman. Among those acquitted were Mohammad Irfan, Nasir Ahmad and Shakeel Ahmed.
The 49 accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act and the Damage to Public Property Act. One accused was also convicted under the Arms Act. The accused were convicted under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 121 (a) (conspiracy to wage war or attempt to wage war against the nation) and 124 (a) (sedition), and section 16(1)(a)(b) of the UAPA which concerns terrorist acts. The convicts can attract a maximum punishment of death or imprisonment for life, and the prosecution will seek capital punishment for some of them, said special public prosecutor Amit Patel.
The prosecution argued before the court – specially designated to conduct trial in the case – that the blasts were an act of terrorism. Patel said 547 charge sheets were filed and 1,163 witnesses examined.
“Twenty-eight other accused were acquitted by the court giving them the benefit of doubt. Details will be clear from the full judgement which we have not yet gone through,” the prosecutor said. Of 28 acquitted, all but six have one or more other cases pending against them or are already serving sentences in past cases including under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act.
Among those awaiting trial is Yasin Bhatkal, a leader of the terror organisation Indian Mujahideen (IM). According to investigation agencies, the IM was involved in a string of bombings across the country including the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts. Of the 15 wanted accused, two died in police encounter in Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and one died in Kerala. A couple of accused are believed to be hiding in Pakistan.
The convicts are currently lodged in six jails across India, including 32 in Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad, Ptel informed.
Twenty bombs went off in different areas of Ahmedabad city between 6.32pm and 7.45 pm July 26, 2008, killing 56 and injuring 246 others. A total of 29 live bombs were also found in Surat though none of them exploded. The trial was conducted after the court merged all 35 FIRs.