2008 Jaipur serial blasts case: 11 years on, four held guilty, one acquitted for killing 70 people

Jaipur, Dec 18: Around eleven years later, a special court on Wednesday found four accused guilty on charges of conspiracy in connection with the 2008 Jaipur serial bomb blasts that had left nearly 70 people dead and 185 injured. However, one of the accused was acquitted by the court. Eight serial bomb blasts had rocked Jaipur on May 13, 2008. The four convicts - Mohammad Saif, Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, Mohammad Salman and Saifurrehman - were present in the court.

"The court has acquitted Shahbaz Hussain because the allegation against him could not be proved. The rest four have been convicted under section 120 (B) of IPC for conspiracy," Suresh Vyas, amicus curiae for Hussain told, reporters. Hussain was accused of sending an email taking responsibility for the blasts.

The Rajasthan ATS investigated the case and filed chargesheet against the five accused who were arrested. Mohammed Aariz was arrested by Delhi police, but the Rajasthan police didn't seek his remand from their Delhi counterpart.

Five of them were arrested and are in Jaipur Central Jail; three others are in Tihar Jail because they are accused in other serial blasts of 2008; two got killed in Batla House encounter in Delhi in September 2008; and three are absconding.

The trial in the case began in December 2008. Eleven years later, on December 18, a special court in Jaipur will pronounce verdict in the case.

The eight locations - Manak Chowk police station, Badi Chaupad, Kotwali police station, Tripoliya Bazar, Chandpole Hanuman temple, National Handloom in Jauhari Bazar, Chhoti Chaupad and Sanganeri Gate Hanuman temple - are within 2-km radius.