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Gujarat HC upholds death sentences of 38 convicts (Img: Dynamite News)
Ahmedabad: In a landmark judgment, the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday upheld the sentences awarded to all convicts in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case, confirming the death penalty for 38 convicts and life imprisonment for 11 others.
The High Court also directed the state government to pay compensation of ₹10 lakh to the families of each of the 56 people who lost their lives in the coordinated terror attacks and ₹1 lakh to each of the more than 200 injured victims.
The High Court affirmed the trial court's verdict in one of India's deadliest terror attack cases, maintaining the punishment awarded to all 49 convicted individuals.
The case relates to the serial bomb blasts that rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, when 21 explosions occurred across 20 locations within nearly 70 minutes, leaving 56 people dead and over 200 injured.
The coordinated blasts targeted hospitals, buses and crowded public places, triggering panic across the city.
The terror outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) had claimed responsibility for the attacks. Investigators later carried out an extensive probe, leading to multiple arrests and a lengthy trial.
Apart from upholding the sentences, the High Court ordered compensation for the victims' families, directing that the next of kin of each deceased victim receive ₹10 lakh, while those injured in the blasts receive ₹1 lakh each.
Meanwhile, the report also noted that proceedings are continuing in the November 2025 Red Fort blast case, where the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has submitted a forensic report before a special court.
The NIA has filed charge sheets against multiple accused and the matter has been listed for further hearing on July 13. The Ahmedabad serial blasts case remains one of the most significant terror prosecutions in the country, with the High Court's ruling reinforcing the trial court's verdict nearly 18 years after the attacks.
