Four given death penalty for killing 71, injuring 185 in 2008 Jaipur serial bombing

A special anti-terror court here on Friday awarded death penalty to four convicts in the 2008 Jaipur serial terror bombing case that had left 71 dead and 185 injured.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Ajay Kumar Sharma, heading the special anti-terror court set up under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, pronounced the sentence amid tight security arrangements in court premises.

"The court awarded death penalty to four convicts under IPC section 302 (punishment for murder) and section 16(1)(A) of the UAPA for planting bombs at different places," Public Prosecutor Sri Chand told reporters.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the four convicts, he said.

The four were also sentenced with life imprisonment following their convictions in offences of waging war against the government and committing sedition respectively under sections 121-A and 124-A and under various offences of the Explosive Substances Act, invoked in eight cases registered in the wake of the 2008 serial blasts.

Jaipur had been rocked by a series of nine synchronized bomb blasts within a span of fifteen minutes at various locations in its walled city area, also an attractive tourist destination on May 13, 2008 evening. A tenth bomb was found and defused.

The four who were awarded sentences ranging from death penalty to life term are Mohammad Saif, Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, Mohammad Salman and Saifurrehman, convicted on Wednesday.

Another accused, Shahbaz Hussain, had been acquitted with the court giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Hussain, a Lucknow resident, had been was accused of sending emails to the police claiming responsibility on behalf of the Indian Mujahideen for the blasts. But the allegation could not be proved and he was acquitted.

Apart from the five, two accused were killed in the Batla House encounter in Delhi in september 2008, while five others are still absconding.

Reacting to the death penalty awarded to the four, defence counsel Paikar Farooq said the his clients were convicted merely on the basis of circumstantial evidence and he would go in appeal to the high court against the judgment.

"None of the 1,300 witnesses in the case deposed that they saw convicts parking bicycles on the day when blasts occurred. The court itself observed there was no direct evidence in the case. Entire case is based on circumstantial evidences. The decision has come under pressure and we will appeal against the judgement in the high court," Farooq said.

The public prosecutor said it would be wrong to say the decision has come under any pressure. The decision has come on the basis of various evidences in the case.

The four had been also convicted under IPC sections 302 (punishment for murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 326 (causing hurt by acid attack), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 121-A (Conspiring to commit certain offences against State).

They had been also convicted under 124-A (sedition), 153-A (promoting disharmony) and sections of Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The serial blasts had occurred on May 13, 2018 evening within a two-km radius of the crowded walled city area. The places hit in the blasts were Manak Chawk Khanda, Chandpole gate, Badi Chaupad, Chhoti Chaupad, Tripolia Gate, Johri Bazar, Sanganeri Gate.

Bicycles were used for planting the bombs. The first blast had occurred at Manak Chawk, near the famous monument Hawa Mahal.

Explosions had also occurred outside Hanuman temples at Chandpole and Sanganeri. As it was a Tuesday, a large number of devotees as well as vendors were present at these sites.