Ahmedabad Blasts: 17 Years On, Three IM Commanders Still Evade Capture as HC Upholds Death Penalty
Nearly 17 years after a series of bomb blasts tore through Ahmedabad, killing 56 people and injuring hundreds more, the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday upheld a trial court's decision to sentence 38 convicts to death and 11 to life imprisonment. Despite the convictions, three senior members of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) remain at large, with authorities continuing their pursuit.
The blasts occurred on July 26, 2008, when 21 bombs exploded across the city, including at hospitals and a civic bus. The Gujarat Police arrested 77 people in connection with the case. In February 2022, a trial court convicted 49 of them, handing down death sentences to 38 and life imprisonment to 11. The Gujarat High Court confirmed these sentences on July 7, 2026.
In December 2022, the Gujarat Police announced rewards of Rs 2 lakh each for information leading to the arrest of four absconders. Of these, one — Umar Farooq — was later arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in another case. Three others are still wanted: Riyaz Ahmed Shah alias Riyaz Bhatkal, Mohsin Chaudhary alias Ashfaq, and Amir Reza Khan alias Parvez.
Riyaz Bhatkal, a co-founder of the Indian Mujahideen, is believed to be based in Pakistan. He and his brother Iqbal Bhatkal were declared proscribed terrorists by the Government of India in 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA has announced a reward of up to Rs 10 lakh for each of the three absconders in a separate case related to waging war against the Government of India.
Officials from the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) of Ahmedabad City Police and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) confirmed that the search for the fugitives continues.
The case highlights the ongoing challenge of bringing all perpetrators of the 2008 attacks to justice, even as the legal process has concluded for those already in custody.
