In a major development in the 2008 Jaipur blasts case, the Rajasthan High Court has acquitted four convicts on the grounds of an “unfair probe” and “apparent manipulations” by the investigating agencies. The verdict was delivered by a division bench of justices Sabina and Vijay Bishnoi.
The four convicts – Mohd Rafiq Shah, Mohd Hussain Fazili, Tariq Ahmed Dar and Gulzar Ahmed – were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 by a special court in Jaipur for their alleged involvement in the serial blasts that killed over 60 people and injured over 200 others in May 2008. The blasts had targeted crowded marketplaces in the city.The High Court, while acquitting the four men, observed that the prosecution had failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The court noted that the evidence against the accused was based on circumstantial and unreliable testimony.
The court also took note of the “unfair probe” and “manipulations apparent” by the investigating agencies. It pointed out several inconsistencies and discrepancies in the evidence presented by the prosecution, which raised serious doubts about the integrity of the investigation.The High Court’s verdict has come as a major relief to the families of the four accused who had been languishing in jail for over a decade. The families had been fighting for their release, claiming that they were innocent and had been falsely implicated in the case.
The acquittal has also raised serious questions about the efficacy of the investigation and the fairness of the trial. The families of the victims have expressed their disappointment at the verdict and demanded a re-investigation into the case.The Jaipur blasts case was one of the worst terror attacks in the country, and the acquittal of the four convicts has once again highlighted the challenges faced by the Indian law enforcement agencies in dealing with terrorism and ensuring justice for the victims. The case is likely to be closely watched by legal experts and human rights activists, who have been critical of the Indian government’s approach to counter-terrorism and its impact on civil liberties.
Written By- Lakshya Sharma students of 1st year BBA LLB at Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
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