On Tuesday, February 8, 2022, a special court in Gujarat acquitted 28 of the 77 accused in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blast case. 49 accused were convicted.
Out of the 28 acquitted, 16 were given a benefit of the doubt, while 12 were pronounced innocent due to lack of evidence.
#UPDATE | A total of 49 accused convicted and 28 acquitted in 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blast case.#Gujarat
— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2022
After a protracted trial that lasted almost 13 years in the 2008 serial blasts case in which Ahmedabad was rocked by explosions killing 56 people and leaving 220 injured, the trial of these 77 accused came to an end in September last year.
Special judge AR Patel fixed Tuesday (February 8) as the date for judgment. Earlier, the case was notified twice for pronouncement of judgment but was adjourned.
Gujarat Police has discovered a nationwide network of radical elements who were involved in carrying out serial bombings in the city after the serial blasts. According to the authorities, the attacks were carried out by members of the proscribed terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM), a subgroup of the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
The trial in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb case had commenced after as many as 35 cases were merged and consolidated into one case. The FIRs were filed in Ahmedabad, where the explosions occurred, and in Surat, where police discovered bombs in various locations.
The accused were charged with murder, attempted murder, and criminal conspiracy, as well as the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
For security considerations, the trial in this high-profile and sensitive case began inside the Sabarmati central jail, and the proceedings were thereafter primarily conducted via video-conferencing.
2008 Ahmedabad bomb blast
Back in July 2008, 21 bomb blasts shook Ahmedabad city within 70 minutes. 56 people had lost their lives, and over 200 were injured. Since then, the intelligence agencies have been keeping the city under constant monitoring.
In fact, last year, Ahmedabad Police had issued a high alert in the city based on the intelligence agency inputs. Important establishments, including Sardar Sarovar dam, Statue of Unity and Somnath Temple got additional security and other crowded places across the state got additional security.
