Ahmedabad: A special court in Ahmedabad pronounced the sentences in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blast case on February 18, 2022. Of the 49 individuals convicted in the case, the court awarded the death penalty to 38 convicts, while the remaining 11 were sentenced to life imprisonment for the remainder of their natural lives.
Earlier, on February 8, 2022, the court had convicted 49 of the 77 accused after a lengthy trial. The serial bomb blasts that struck Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, claimed 56 lives and left 243 people injured. All 49 convicts attended the sentencing hearing virtually. Under Indian law, the death sentences will require confirmation by the Gujarat High Court before they can be carried out.
The complete list of the 49 convicts is provided below. The identities of the 38 convicts who received the death penalty were expected to be confirmed after the detailed court order was made public.
List of the 49 Convicted Accused in the 2008 Ahmedabad Serial Bomb Blasts Case
Zahid Sheikh
Imran Sheikh
Iqbal Sheikh
Samsuddin Sheikh
Javed Sheikh
Asif Sheikh
Atique Khiljee
Mehdi Ansari
Safiq Ansari
Rafiuddin
Arif Mirza
Kabumuddin
Sibyl Muslim
Safdar Nagori
Hafiz Mulla
Sajid Mansoori
Afzal Usmani
Sarfuddin Itti
Md. Sadiq Sheikh
Md. Arif Sheikh
Akbar Chaudhary
Fazal Durani
Nausad Sayed
Ahmed Barelvi
Rafiq Afidi
Amin Sheikh
Md. Mobin Khan
Md. Ansar
Gyasuddin Ansari
Arif Kagzi
Usmaan
Yunus Mansoori
Imran Pathan
Abubasar Sheikh
Abaas Sameza
Saifu Ansari
Md. Saif Sheikh
Zishan Sheikh
Jia-ur-Rahman
Tanveer Pathan
Abraar Maniyar
Shaduli Karim
Tausif Pathan
Md. Ali Ansari
Md. Ismail
Kamruddin
Aleem Kazi
Aniq Sayed
Md. Shaqil
Special Court Judge A.R. Patel had earlier acquitted 28 of the 77 accused in the case. In addition to the sentences, the court ordered compensation for the victims and their families. The families of those killed in the blasts were awarded Rs 1 lakh each, while victims who sustained grievous injuries were granted Rs 50,000, and those with minor injuries were awarded Rs 25,000. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh on each of the convicted individuals.
The prosecution concluded its arguments on February 14, 2022, after which the court reserved its verdict. The convicted accused were found guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
The convictions included charges under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 121A (conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India), and 124A (sedition), along with Section 16(1)(a) and 16(1)(b) of the UAPA, which deal with terrorist acts.
On July 26, 2008, Ahmedabad was rocked by 20 coordinated serial bomb blasts that claimed 56 lives and injured 243 people, leaving the city in shock. The attack remains one of the deadliest terror incidents in Gujarat’s history, with its impact continuing to resonate among survivors and victims’ families.
Within weeks of the blasts, the Gujarat Police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) carried out a series of arrests, uncovering an alleged network linked to the banned terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen. Investigators alleged that members of the group were also involved in bomb blasts in several other Indian cities. The then Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, assured full support to the investigation to help build a strong case against the accused.
According to the Gujarat Police, the bombings were allegedly carried out in retaliation for the 2002 post-Godhra riots. Investigators also stated that the Indian Mujahideen had emerged from members associated with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). Before the blasts, threat emails claiming responsibility were sent to several media organisations. In the days following the attack, security agencies also recovered and defused a number of live explosives in Surat, preventing further casualties.
