Ahmedabad Serial Blasts case: Guj HC Confirms Death Penalty to 38 Convicts

In a landmark judgment delivered on July 7, the Gujarat High Court upheld the convictions and sentences awarded by the Special Court in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blast case. The High Court confirmed the death sentence of 38 convicts and upheld the life imprisonment till natural death awarded to 11 others, affirming the verdict delivered by the Special Court in 2022.

On July 26, 2008, 21 serial blasts ripped through 20 locations across Ahmedabad, killing 56 people and injuring more than 200. The Special Court had, for the first time in India's judicial history, sentenced 38 accused to death in a single case. While the Gujarat government had approached the High Court seeking confirmation of the death sentences, 48 convicts had challenged their convictions and punishments.

Compensation for Victims

Along with upholding the sentences, the High Court also ordered compensation for the victims. The families of those killed in the blasts will receive ₹10 lakh each, while those who sustained serious injuries will be paid ₹1 lakh as compensation. The judgment brings a significant conclusion to one of India's biggest terror trials.

Judicial Process and Verdict

Following an extensive investigation involving 35 FIRs and the filing of 548 charge sheets, the case was brought before a special court. During the lengthy trial, the prosecution presented over 6,000 pieces of documentary and physical evidence, and the testimonies of 1,163 witnesses were recorded.

On February 8, 2022, Special Court Judge A.R. Patel delivered a landmark verdict:

• Convictions: 49 individuals were found guilty, while 28 were acquitted.
• Sentencing: On February 18, 2022, the court handed down death sentences to 38 convicts under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.
• Life Imprisonment: 11 convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment until their natural death.
• Penalties: Significant fines were imposed on the convicts, and the court mandated compensation for the families of the deceased and the injured.

Among those sentenced to death was Safdar Nagori, the General Secretary of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a group that had been banned by the Central Government due to its involvement in extremist activities.

Significance of the High Court Proceedings

The gravity of the Special Court’s verdict led to a major legal process in the Gujarat High Court. Because the Special Court had ordered the death penalty for 38 individuals, the case was moved to the High Court for confirmation of the sentences under Section 366 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

• Legal Scrutiny: On March 9, 2022, the High Court issued notices to all 38 death-row convicts.
• Case Scale: The magnitude of this case is reflected in the documentation; the paperbook prepared for the High Court hearings spanned approximately 7.88 lakh pages, underscoring the complexity and the meticulous nature of the judicial review required.
• Judicial Review: On July 28, 2022, a division bench comprising Justice Vipul Pancholi and Justice Sandeep Bhatt officially admitted the matter for hearing. This process is crucial as it ensures that the death sentences are subjected to the highest level of judicial scrutiny, ensuring justice for both the victims and the accused through due process.

List of 38 Convicts Sentenced to Death

1. Zahid alias Javed Kutubuddin Shaikh
2. Imran Ibrahim Shaikh
3. Iqbal alias Ikarar Kasam Shaikh
4. Shamsuddin alias Shamsu Shahabuddin Shaikh
5. Gayasuddin alias Gyasu Abdulsalim Ansari
6. Mohammad Arif Mohammad Iqbal Kagzi
7. Mohammad Usman alias Usman Mohammad Anis Agarbattiwala
8. Yunus Mohammadbhai Mansuri
9. Kamruddin alias Raja alias Abdullah Chandmohammad Nagori
10. Amil Parvez alias Sikandar Kazi Saifuddin Shaikh
11. Shibli alias Sabit Abdul Karim
12. Safdarhusain alias Husainbhai alias Iqbalbhai Zahiruddin alias Zaharulhasan Nagori
13. Hafizhusain alias Adnan alias Tamim Tajuddin
14. Mohammad Sajid alias Salim alias Sajjad alias Saad Gulam Khwaja Mansuri
15. Abubasar alias Mufti alias Abdul Rashid alias Abdullah Abubakar Shaikh
16. Abbas Umar Sameja
17. Javed Ahmed Sadir Ahmed Shaikh (Saiyed)
18. Mohammad Ismail alias Abdul Rajik alias Musaf alias Furkan Mohammad Ishaq Mansuri
19. Afzal alias Afsar alias Raja alias Ajit Singh alias Sanjay Pandey alias Usmani Mutalib Usmani
20. Mohammad Arif alias Arif Badar alias Ladan Badruddin Shaikh alias Jumman Shaikh
21. Asif alias Hasan Bashiruddin Shaikh
22. Mohammad Arif Nasim Ahmed Mirza
23. Qayamuddin alias Musa alias Ashfaq alias Abdul Kadir alias Rizwan alias Samir Sarfuddin Kapadia
24. Mohammad Saif alias Rahul Sharma alias Kerisewa Sadab Ahmed Shaikh
25. Zeeshan Ahmed Ehsanahmed Shaikh
26. Zia-ur-Rehman alias Montu Abdul Rehman Muslim
27. Mohammad Shakil alias Shakil Yaminkhan Luhar
28. Mohammad Akbar Ismail Chaudhary alias Saeed
29. Fazal-e-Rehman alias Salauddin alias Rafik Musaddikkhan Durrani
30. Ahmedbava alias Abbu Abubakar Barelvi
31. Sarfuddin alias Sharif at Sainuddin alias Abdulsattar alias Salim
32. Saif-ur-Rehman alias Saifu alias Saif Abdulrahman Ansari
33. Saduli alias Haris Abdulkarim Muslim
34. Mohammad Tanveer alias Talha Mohammad Akhtar Pathan
35. Amin alias Raja Ayud Nazir Shaikh
36. Mohammad Mobin alias Mubin alias Irfan Abdul Shakurkhan
37. Mohammad Rafik alias Javid alias Alamzeb Afridi Maskur Ahmed
38. Tausifkhan alias Atiq Sagir Ahmedkhan Pathan