Four convicted in 2008 Jaipur live bomb case, sentencing on Apr 8

Jaipur: A special trial court here Friday convicted four accused for their involvement in the live bomb detection case linked to the serial bomb blasts that devastated the city in May 2008. The court, presided over by judge Ramesh Kumar Joshi, will announce the quantum of punishment to the accused on April 8. The bomb blasts, which occurred on May 13, 2008, resulted in the tragic loss of 71 lives across a series of eight explosions in the Walled City. A 9th bomb, discovered near the Ramchandraji temple in Chandpole, was found to be live but successfully diffused by security forces within minutes.

Among the convicted are Saif-Ur-Rehman, Mohammed Saif, Sarwar Azami and Shahbaz Ahmed. Notably, Saif-Ur-Rehman, Mohammed Saif, Mohammed Salman and Sarwar Azmi had previously been convicted in Dec 2019 for the eight serial blasts and sentenced to death, a verdict that was overturned by the Rajasthan High Court in March 2023.

The state govt and victims of the blasts later filed special leave petitions against the high court's decision, which is currently pending before the Supreme Court.

Saif-Ur-Rehman and Mohammed Saif were lodged at Jaipur Central Jail in the live bomb detection case. However, Sarwar Azmi was out on bail. Shahbaz Ahmed, who is convicted in the live bomb case, was actually acquitted by the trial court in the eight serial blasts case. All four were present in the courtroom when they were pronounced convicted Friday.

As far as Mohammed Salman is concerned in this case of live bomb, his trial is underway at the juvenile justice board in Jaipur. Hence, he was not present in this court.

The trial court's ruling Friday saw the four men convicted under several serious charges, including criminal conspiracy, conspiracy to wage war against the govt of India and attempted murder, along with multiple violations of the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Assembly (Prevention) Act.

Special public prosecutor Sagar Tiwari told TOI, "Maximum punishment in some of the sections, including 121-A, is life imprisonment."

Tiwari said in this case the prosecution presented new witnesses, including journalist Prashant Tandon who received the mail after the serial blasts and former ADG (crime) AK Jain, and Dinesh Mahawar who made the frame of the bicycles which were later purchased and used in planting bombs at various places, strengthening their case.

On behalf of the accused, lawyer Minhajul Haq said appeal would be filed against the trial court's ruling, arguing that the prosecution had not adequately established who placed the bomb-laden bicycle outside the temple.

Haq said the Rajasthan High Court had previously acquitted all accused in the serial blasts case, citing inadequate evidence.