4 Convicts In Jaipur 2008 Serial Blasts Case Sentenced To Life Imprisonment
In the Jaipur serial bombings case, four men were sentenced to life imprisonment. The convicts were found guilty under various laws, including the Explosive Substances Act.
A special court in Jaipur on Tuesday sentenced four men to life imprisonment in connection with the 2008 Jaipur serial bomb blasts case. The convicts—Sarwar Azmi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Saifur Rehman, and Mohammad Saif—were held guilty under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (earlier IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act. The court had pronounced their conviction on 4 April in the case related to the recovery of an unexploded bomb planted in Chandpole on the evening of the blasts.
On 13 May 2008, eight bombs exploded in quick succession across Jaipur’s Chardiwari area, claiming 72 lives and injuring over 200 people. The explosions took place at Manak Chowk Khanda, Chandpole Gate, Badi Chaupad, Chhoti Chaupad, Tripolia Gate, Johri Bazar, and Sanganeri Gate. A ninth bomb, placed on a bicycle near a guest house in Chandpole Market, was found and defused just 15 minutes before the coordinated blasts, averting further casualties, as per news agency IANS.
The court, presided over by Special Judge Ramesh Kumar Joshi, convicted the four accused in this separate case concerning the live bomb. While they were acquitted of sedition charges under Section 124A, they were found guilty under other provisions linked to the incident.
Rajasthan High Court Acquittal In 2023
All four convicts had previously been sentenced to death by a special court in December 2019 in cases related to the Jaipur blasts. However, the Rajasthan High Court, in a ruling dated 29 March 2023, acquitted them citing “serious lapses” in the investigation and confirmed the acquittal of Shahbaz, who had earlier been let off by the trial court, as per IANS.
Following the High Court’s decision, the Rajasthan government challenged the acquittals in the Supreme Court, where the matter remains pending. Subsequently, a fresh case was registered relating to the defused bomb in Chandpole, leading to the re-arrest of all four individuals.
In the recent trial, the prosecution produced 112 witnesses and submitted approximately 1,200 documents as evidence. Among the key witnesses was Dinesh Mahawar, a bicycle mechanic who testified that one of the accused had brought in a bicycle for repairs, which was later found to be fitted with explosives. Other notable witnesses included journalist Prashant Tandon and former Additional Director General of Police Arvind Kumar Jain, as per IANS.
The High Court, in its 2023 verdict, had observed that the prosecution failed to prove who had actually planted the bomb-laden bicycles and criticised the investigative agencies for procedural shortcomings.
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