2008 Jaipur Bombing: Four Convicted in Live Bomb Case
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Synopsis
On April 4, 2023, a special court convicted four individuals in the 2008 Jaipur serial bomb blasts case. A live bomb was found near a temple in Chandpole shortly before the coordinated attacks that resulted in numerous casualties. The court will announce the sentences on April 8.
Key Takeaways
- All four accused convicted in live bomb case.
- Live bomb discovered minutes before 2008 blasts.
- Verdict delivered by Judge Ramesh Kumar Joshi.
- Sentencing scheduled for April 8.
- 112 witnesses and 1,200 documents presented in trial.
Jaipur, April 4 (NationPress) A special court has found all four defendants guilty in relation to the series of bomb explosions that devastated Jaipur on May 13, 2008. A live bomb was located near a temple in the Chandpole region, just minutes prior to the synchronized blasts that shook the city.
Judge Ramesh Kumar Joshi of the Special Court announced the verdict, indicating that sentencing will occur on April 8.
While the defendants were acquitted of sedition charges under Section 124(A) of the IPC, they were convicted under other applicable sections of the law. On May 13, 2008, eight bombs detonated in quick succession throughout Jaipur's Chardiwari area, resulting in the loss of 72 lives and injuring over 200 individuals.
A ninth bomb, placed on a bicycle near a guest house in Chandpole Market, was located and defused just 15 minutes before the explosions, averting additional casualties.
The four convicted individuals—Mohammad Saif, Saifurrahman, Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, and Shahbaz Ahmed—have now been convicted in this distinct case relating to the live bomb.
It is noteworthy that these same individuals received death sentences in 2019 from the special court for their roles in the Jaipur bombings. However, in March 2023, the Rajasthan High Court overturned their convictions, citing major shortcomings in the investigation.
The state government has since appealed the High Court's decision to the Supreme Court, where the matter is still pending.
Following their acquittal, the Rajasthan government initiated a new case regarding the live bomb found in Chandpole and re-arrested the four accused.
In this recent trial, the prosecution showcased 112 witnesses and submitted approximately 1,200 documents as evidence.
Among the crucial witnesses was bicycle mechanic Dinesh Mahawar, who testified that one of the accused had brought in a bicycle for repairs, which was later discovered to be fitted with explosives.
Other significant witnesses included journalist Prashant Tandon and former ADG Arvind Kumar Jain.
The High Court, in its 2023 ruling, stated that the prosecution did not successfully prove who had planted the bomb-rigged bicycles, and it strongly criticized the investigative agencies for their procedural errors.
This led to the acquittal of all four defendants in the primary bombing cases.
Nevertheless, their conviction in the live bomb case has introduced a new twist to the drawn-out legal struggle surrounding one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Rajasthan's history, according to legal experts.
