2008 Ahmedabad Blast Case: Special Court Announces Death Sentence To 38 Convicts

On the 18th of February, a special court of Ahmedabad announced the verdict in the 2008 Ahmedabad Bomb Blast case.

The Special Court Judge Mr. A.R. Patel announced the death sentence to 38 convicts and life imprisonment to 11 other convicts in the 13 years old case. On the 26th of July, 2008, a bomb blast killed 56 people and leftover 200 people injured. A total of 49 people were convicted and 13 were acquitted after the last hearing (conclusion of arguments on quantum) held last week.

The Special Court Judge convicted 49 people and reserved the verdict on sentence for the 18th of February, Today.

The convicts attract a maximum punishment of death sentence and imprisonment for life under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). All the convicts have been booked under sections 302 (murder,) 307 (attempt to murder,) 21 (a) (conspiracy to wage war or attempt to wage war against the nation) and 124 (a) (sedition) among others of the Indian Penal Code (IPC.)

In addition, section 16(1)(a)(b) of the UAPA related to punishment for a terrorist act has also been imposed on the convicts.