Death sentence of 38 Ahmedabad blasts convicts

July 10, 2026

Th India’s penal code provides for the death penalty in extremely brutal cases. Similarly, the Gujarat High Court’s decision in Ahmedabad to uphold the death penalty for 38 criminals is drawing attention. Eighteen years ago, on July 26, 2008, terrorists carried out a series of bomb blasts in Ahmedabad. This was a horrific incident, with 21 consecutive blasts occurring within 70 minutes, claiming the lives of 56 people. Of the perpetrators of the bombings who were apprehended in 2008, 38 were sentenced to death and 11 were sentenced to life imprisonment. Previously, the Gujarat riots had occurred, for which the Indian Mujahideen, with the help of terrorists, allegedly carried out the bombings in retaliation.

In addition to the 56 deaths, over 200 others were injured. Compensation has now been ordered for the dependents of those killed or seriously injured. The dependents of the deceased will receive 1 million rupees, and the injured 500,000 rupees each. This was a significant decision, sentencing 38 people to death simultaneously. Three petitions were filed in the Gujarat High Court challenging this decision. This is a unique example of such a large number of convicts being sentenced to death.

Petitions were filed, and as is the norm in our judicial process, the case has been heard in a special court since 2008. The decision was initially delivered by a lower court in February 2022. After further petitions were filed, the decision was heard in the Gujarat High Court. Hearings have been held daily since March 2025, yet the final decision was delivered by the Gujarat High Court this Tuesday.

It’s also worth noting that we changed our criminal law process in 2025, with the sole purpose of ensuring timely disposal of cases and timely punishment for those convicted. But even after the new criminal law was implemented, it’s still taking so long for verdicts to be delivered. We believe that if cross-examination by lawyers, statements by witnesses, and testimony from relevant doctors or other experts in relevant cases are conducted via video conferencing, it will save court time, ensure the safety of witnesses, and also solve the problem of court adjournments to some extent.