The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea of the accused in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case. The High Court also upheld the earlier judgment of the Special Court. As a result, the death sentence of 38 accused and the remaining 11 life sentences will continue in this case. On Tuesday, the court dismissed all the appeals of the convicts and assured that it would not interfere with the decision of the special court.
On July 26, 2008, the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat witnessed a horrific terrorist attack. In just 70 minutes, 21 explosions took place in different parts of the city. The blast killed 56 innocent people and injured over 200. A series of sudden explosions spread panic throughout the city.
After investigation, the police found out that Indian Mujahideen were behind the blast. According to investigators, the attack was planned to avenge the 2002 Godhra incident and subsequent Gujarat clashes. The purpose of the blast was to create fear and unrest among the common people.
After a long hearing, the special court acquitted 28 of the 77 accused for lack of evidence. Another 49 were convicted. Of these, 38 were sentenced to death and 11 to life imprisonment. There is no precedent in the legal history of the country that so many people have been executed in the same case.
The accused appealed to the Gujarat High Court against the verdict of the special court. They also applied for commutation of the sentence. But the High Court rejected their arguments. The High Court upheld the death sentence of 38 people and the life sentence of 11 people.
The verdict marks the end of an important chapter in the protracted justice process for the families of those killed and injured in the Ahmedabad blast. The families of the victims have not forgotten that bloody incident 18 years ago.