Ahmedabad Blasts Case 2008: Gujarat HC Upholds Death Sentence for 38 accused, Life Term for 11

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday upheld a special court order sentencing 38 convicts to death and 11 others to life imprisonment in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, which claimed 56 lives.

A division bench comprising Justices A Y Kogje and Samir Dave rejected the pleas of those found guilty of orchestrating the terrorist attacks.

The High Court's decision puts to rest a lengthy legal battle that began after a special trial court in 2022 found members of the banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) guilty. 38 convicts were sentenced to death while 11 others were awarded life imprisonment.

On 26 July 2008, 21 serial blasts took place at 20 different locations in a matter of 70 minutes. The incident took 56 lives and took over 200 lives. In the immediate aftermath, the Islamic terror group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) claimed responsibility for the heinous act.

In a related development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues to build its case around a more recent explosion - the November 2025 car bomb blast near Delhi's historic Red Fort. The agency has now submitted a forensic report to the court concerning the remains of those who perished in that incident. The court has scheduled a hearing for 13 July to scrutinise the findings.

According to the NIA, that blast was caused by a high-intensity Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). The explosion claimed 11 lives and left several others wounded, while also causing significant structural damage to nearby buildings.

During the latest court session, nine accused individuals were produced before Special Judge Pitambar Dutt, who extended their judicial custody. The agency has already filed a charge sheet against ten people in connection with the attack, including a key figure named Shaheen Saeed.

Meanwhile, the NIA's investigation has widened further with the filing of a supplementary charge sheet. This additional document names Zamir Ahmed Ahangar and Tufail Ahmed Bhat - both arrested in February 2026 - alongside one absconding suspect. The agency alleges that the pair were actively involved in stockpiling weapons, with claims that Zamir was supplied with a rifle, a pistol and live ammunition by associates Umar, Irfan and Adil.

Both men are said to have links to Ansar Ghazawat Ul Hind. Their supplementary charge sheet is currently pending before the NIA court in Patiala House, where the broader Red Fort blast case continues to unfold.

With inputs from agencies