Ahmedabad Serial Blasts Case: 38 Death Sentences.. Here is What Actually Happened

The Gujarat High Court has delivered a sensational verdict in the Ahmedabad serial blasts case. It has upheld the 2022 verdict of the special court, which sentenced 38 people to death and 11 others to life imprisonment.

However, the High Court dismissed the petitions filed challenging the lower court’s verdict. The High Court ordered the Gujarat government to pay a compensation of ₹10 lakhs to the families of the deceased and ₹5 lakhs to the injured in these blasts. Furthermore, the High Court directed that these compensation payments must be completed by March 31, 2027.

Out of a total of 77 accused in this case, 28 were previously acquitted by Special Court Judge A.R. Patel. Along with the sentences, the court also ordered that compensation be paid to the victims and their families. A compensation of ₹1 lakh each was announced for the families of those who died in the blasts, ₹50,000 for the critically injured victims, and ₹25,000 for those with minor injuries. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of ₹2.85 lakhs on each of those convicted.

In its 2022 verdict, the special court convicted 49 people. It acquitted 28 individuals. It also granted pardon to one accused who turned approver.

What happened back then…

On July 26, 2008, terrorists struck Ahmedabad with bomb blasts at 21 locations within a span of just 70 minutes. In these attacks, 56 people were killed, and 246 others were severely injured. Subsequently, the police recovered unexploded bombs in Surat. While a total of 78 people underwent trial in this case, the special court in 2022 convicted 49 people and acquitted 28 others.

These blasts took place near buses, markets, crowded areas, and hospitals. The situation became even more severe as blasts occurred near hospitals even after the injured were shifted there.