AHMEDABAD: A special court is likely to deliver its verdict on Tuesday against 78 accused persons in the 2008 serial blasts case, in which 19 bombs rocked the city and killed 56 persons, leaving 200 injured. The case was notified twice earlier this month for pronouncement of judgment, but was adjourned.
The trial was conducted after merging 35 different cases against the accused persons in Ahmedabad and Surat.
There were 20 FIRs lodged in Ahmedabad for the bomb blasts, 15 FIRs were registered in Surat as bombs were recovered from various parts of the city a couple of days after the terror strike in Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008. An unknown outfit, Indian Mujahideen (IM), claimed responsibility for the bombings and termed the act reprisals for the 2002 riots.
Police claimed that IM was formed by former members of the prohibited outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
Before Special Judge A R Patel, the prosecution examined more than 1,100 witnesses in this case. There were 26 witnesses marked as star witnesses and the court as well as government ensured special provisions for concealment of their identities for their safety. Four of the accused were treated as approvers, admitting their confessions, though they fought a legal battle asserting their retractions at a later stage. One of the accused offered to turn approver and his request was accepted by the court.
The special court heard the case in Sabarmati central jail initially, but most of the prosecution took place through video conferencing only. The trial took place amid various controversies and hindrances. One of them was the alleged attempt by 24 accused persons in this case to escape from jail. On February 11, the jail authorities came across a 213-foot tunnel dug from the Chhota Chakkar area of the jail.
Since the first arrest on August 15, 2008, none of the accused persons has been granted regular bail by the court. The only accused person out on temporary bail is Naved Qadri, who was released after he was diagnosed with acute schizophrenia.
