AHMEDABAD SERIAL BOMB BLAST CASE

AUTHOR – TEESHA C, STUDENT AT TAMILNADU DR. AMBEDKAR LAW UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – TEESHA C, AHMEDABAD SERIAL BOMB BLAST CASE, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (1) OF 2025, PG. 1091-1106, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

“No religion is responsible for terrorism. People are responsible for violence and terrorism”

– Barrack Obama

The 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb bombings were among India’s bloodiest terror attacks, which were carried out by the Indian Mujahideen (IM) in a coordinated act of violence. On July 26, 2008, 21 bombs exploded within 70 minutes in crowded public areas, killing 56 people and injuring nearly 200. The Islamic Movement claimed responsibility for the bombings, alleging retaliation for the 2002 Gujarat riots.

 A comprehensive inquiry led to the detention of several suspects, and the prosecution relied on forensic evidence, CCTV video, technological communications, and witness testimony to prove guilt. The defense argued a lack of direct evidence, procedural flaws, forced confessions, and unfair inference. On February 8, 2022, 49 suspects were convicted by a special court in Ahmedabad after long-drawn legal procedures. This is one of the historical judgments that had condemned 38 people to death and 11 to life imprisonment, thus recording the highest death sentences awarded to a person in a single case in India.

 The case set a judicial precedent in the counterterrorism cases, which stirred debates on issues of justice, due process, death penalty, and national security. It showcased India’s powerful stance against terrorism but also inflamed controversies about human rights, fair trial, and the efficacy of the judicial system in addressing the extremist threats.

Keywords: Ahmedabad bomb blasts, Indian Mujahideen, terrorism, counterterrorism, forensic evidence, CCTV footage, 2002 Gujarat riots, capital punishment, death sentence, fair trial, national security, justice.