2008 Ahmedabad Blasts: HC Puts Death Sentence on Hold in Indian Mujahideen Case

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of the death sentence awarded to Ahmed Bawa alias Abbu Abubakar Barelvi, a convict in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case. The order came after Barelvi challenged the Gujarat High Court judgment that had upheld his conviction and capital punishment. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta also issued notice to the Gujarat government and sought the original trial court records.

The case relates to the devastating serial blasts that struck Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008. A series of explosions occurred at multiple locations across the city over roughly 70 minutes, killing 56 people and injuring more than 200 others. Some explosions also took place at hospitals where victims of the initial blasts were being taken for treatment.

Barelvi is one of 38 convicts who were sentenced to death by a special court in February 2022. The trial court had convicted 49 people in the case, sentencing 38 to death and 11 others to life imprisonment. Twenty-eight other accused were acquitted, according to court reporting on the proceedings.

The Gujarat High Court, in its July 2026 judgment, upheld the death sentences imposed on the 38 convicts and confirmed the life sentences of the other 11. The court cited the scale of the conspiracy, the number of casualties and the prosecutions case concerning the objective of creating widespread terror when affirming the punishments. It also upheld fines imposed in the case.

The High Courts ruling followed years of legal proceedings stemming from a large investigation. According to court reports, 35 police cases were brought together for the trial, including cases concerning the Ahmedabad explosions and unexploded bombs recovered in Surat. The special court ultimately convicted 49 people in 2022.

While challenging the High Court ruling before the Supreme Court, Barelvis counsel argued that his conviction was based on a conspiracy charge. The Supreme Court, after hearing the plea, decided to seek the Gujarat governments response and called for the trial records. The stay means that the execution of Barelvis death sentence will not take place while the Supreme Court considers the matter.

The latest development does not overturn the Gujarat High Courts judgment. Instead, it places Barelvis individual death sentence before the Supreme Court for further consideration. The top courts request for the lower-court records and notice to the state are part of the ongoing legal process.

The Ahmedabad blasts case remains one of the most significant terrorism-related criminal proceedings in Indias recent legal history. The 2022 special court decision was notable because 38 people were sentenced to death in the same case, while the Gujarat High Court later confirmed those sentences in July 2026. The Supreme Courts intervention in Barelvis case now adds another stage to the long-running judicial proceedings.

The Gujarat High Court also directed the state government to provide compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of those killed and Rs 5 lakh to those who suffered grievous injuries, with the payments to be made by March 30, 2027. The direction formed part of the broader judgment dealing with the convictions and sentences arising from the 2008 attacks.

For now, the Supreme Courts order concerns Barelvis death sentence specifically. The court has sought the relevant records and the Gujarat governments response, leaving the next stage of the legal proceedings to be determined through the appeal process.

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