Gujarat HC Upholds Death Penalty for 38 in 2008 Ahmedabad Serial Blasts, Cites Lack of Remorse
The Gujarat High Court has upheld the death sentences of 38 convicts in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case, observing that the accused exhibited no remorse for their actions. The detailed judgment, running 2,215 pages, was made available on Monday.
A division bench of Justices Alpesh Kogje and Samir Dave confirmed the trial court's February 2022 verdict, which had sentenced 38 of the 49 convicted to death and 11 to life imprisonment. The court also granted a three-month stay on the execution to allow the convicts to appeal to the Supreme Court.
In its judgment, the court noted that the accused had been involved in similar offences and that disciplinary action had been taken against them while in judicial custody. The judge wrote, 'Throughout the course of trial and even during the hearing of the present appeals before this court, the accused persons have not exhibited any remorse. Therefore, upon considering their overall conduct as a whole, nothing appears on record so as to persuade this court to take a lenient view while sentencing.'
The court also highlighted instances of misconduct, including the 2013 tunnel digging incident in Sabarmati Jail and the accused's failure to stand in court to show respect to the trial judge, which led her to use a curtain to avoid humiliation.
The 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts involved 22 bombs targeting various locations, including hospitals, buses, and parked vehicles, killing 56 people and injuring over 200. The prosecution argued that the attacks were motivated as revenge for the 2002 Gujarat riots and aimed at overthrowing the democratically elected government.
Of the 77 accused, 49 were convicted, with the death penalty confirmed for 38. The court emphasised that the case involved an act of striking terror, not ordinary murder, leading to the loss of innocent lives and injuries that caused permanent disabilities.
The three-month stay allows the convicts to seek further legal recourse before the Supreme Court, upholding the constitutional right to appeal.
