Jaipur, May 1: The Rajasthan High Court has denied bail to two individuals convicted in the 2008 Jaipur serial blast case. The court rejected their plea to suspend their life sentences.
Mohammad Sarwar Azmi and Shahbaz Ahmed had sought bail pending the outcome of their appeal in the High Court. They argued that they have been in prison for an extended period and that it could take a significant amount of time for their appeal to be heard. However, the bench comprising Justice Indrajit Singh and Justice Bhuvan Goyal dismissed their application on Friday.
On May 13, 2008, a series of eight bomb blasts occurred in Jaipur, with a ninth bomb discovered near a guest house in Chandpole market, which was defused just minutes before it could explode.
In a related case, a special court sentenced Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Saifur Rahman, and Mohammad Saif to life imprisonment on April 4, 2025, for the ‘live bomb’ incident. Initially, the trial court had sentenced the accused to death for the eight blasts, but the High Court later overturned those death sentences, acquitting the defendants.
The defense argued that the evidence presented in the ‘live bomb’ case was the same as that used in the earlier blast cases, which led to the acquittal of the accused. They contended that if similar facts had previously resulted in acquittals, the convictions in this case should be questioned.
The defense also cited their prolonged incarceration and delays in the appeal process as grounds for bail. In contrast, Additional Advocate General Rajesh Chaudhary, representing the state government, opposed the bail, stating that this is a terrorism case aimed at instilling fear among the public.
He noted that the accused had allegedly claimed responsibility for the blasts via email. The state government asserted that the prosecution had presented additional evidence distinct from previous cases. They emphasized the seriousness of the matter, highlighting that the blasts resulted in 71 fatalities and 185 injuries.
The state urged the court to deny any relief to the convicts, considering the gravity of the case. After hearing arguments from both sides, the Rajasthan High Court refused to suspend the life sentences and dismissed the request for bail.
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