Rajasthan: Four Terrorists Given Life Sentences in Bomb Incident
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Synopsis
A court in Rajasthan has sentenced four terrorists to life imprisonment for their roles in the 2008 live bomb incidents linked to serial blasts in Jaipur, marking a significant judicial outcome.
Key Takeaways
- Four terrorists sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Case linked to 2008 Jaipur serial bomb blasts.
- Ninth bomb defused shortly before detonation.
- Defense argued for leniency based on time served.
- State government appeals against earlier death sentences.
Jaipur, April 8 (NationPress) A special court in Rajasthan has on Tuesday issued life sentences to four terrorists involved in the case concerning live bombs discovered during the series of bomb blasts in Jaipur in 2008.
The court delivered a detailed 600-page judgment on this day.
On May 13, 2008, eight bomb explosions occurred in Jaipur, with a ninth bomb found near a guest house in Chandpole Bazaar. This bomb was successfully defused just 15 minutes prior to its detonation.
The court noted, “The greatest court is our mind… our mind knows what is right and what is wrong… the punishment is a reflection of the crime committed.”
During the sentencing discussion, government attorney Special PP Sagar Tiwari emphasized the necessity of life imprisonment for the accused, asserting, “The actions of the offenders represent the gravest form of crime. They cannot be shown leniency under any circumstances.”
The defense counsel for the accused, Minhajul Haq, contended: “The offenders have already spent 15 years in prison. The High Court has cleared them in the other eight cases. Therefore, they should receive the minimum penalty considering the time already served.”
Last Friday, the special court found all four accused guilty in the live bomb case. The convicted individuals - Saifurrahman, Mohammad Saif, Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, and Shahbaz Ahmed - are linked to this live bomb incident.
These terrorists were found guilty under four sections of the Indian Penal Code, two sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and three sections of the Explosive Substances Act, all of which can result in a life sentence.
Except for Shahbaz, the others originally received the death penalty in the serial bomb blast case, but the High Court later acquitted them.
The state government’s appeal against the death sentences is still active in the Supreme Court.
The ATS apprehended all suspects in the live bomb case from prison on December 25, 2019. A supplementary charge sheet was presented by the ATS in the live bomb case, which included three new testimonies.
During the proceedings, statements from a total of 112 witnesses were recorded by the ATS, including journalist Prashant Tandon, former ADG Arvind Kumar, and bicycle tightener Dinesh Mahawar.
