Ahemadabad: A special court appointed for the swift trial of the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb bombings case condemned 38 of the 49 prisoners to death.The 11 others were condemned to life in prison without any possibility of parole.Under the terms of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.
Pronouncing the judgment, Special Judge AR Patel awarded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to those who had died in the blasts. He also awarded a compensation of Rs 50,000 for victims with serious injuries and Rs 25,000 for those with minor ones.
Usman Agarbattiwala, the only person convicted under the Arms Act and one of those sentenced to death, was also given a year in prison for his conviction under the Act.
Each of the 49 prisoners will serve their sentences concurrently under the IPC, UAPA, Explosive Substances Act, and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. A fine of Rs 2.85 lakh was also imposed on each of the 48 convicts by the court. Agarbattiwala was also fined Rs 2.88 lakh for his supplementary imprisonment under the Arms Act.
On February 8, the Special Judge found 49 of the 78 defendants guilty of numerous Indian Penal Code offences, including murder, sedition, and waging war against the state, as well as offences under the UAPA, or Explosive Substances Act.
The judge earlier had ended a hearing on the issue of punishment quantum, with the defence providing arguments on mitigating circumstances, seeking minimum punishment, and the prosecution presenting arguments on aggravating circumstances, seeking maximum punishment, i.e. death.
As many as 22 bombs went off in Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, at various spots, including the state government-run civil hospital, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run LG Hospital, on buses, parked bicycles, in cars and other places, killing 56 persons and leaving around 200 injured. Of the 24 bombs, one each at Kalol and Naroda, did not go off.
Of the total 78 accused on trial, one accused — Ayaz Saiyed — who turned approver in the case, had allegedly planted bombs in bicycles and AMTS bus in Naroda area of Ahmedabad city with the bus blowing up near Sarkhej.
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