Victims File Plea in Supreme Court Challenging Rajasthan HC's Order Acquitting 4 Accused in 2008 Jaipur Blasts

A Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been filed in the Supreme Court, challenging the Rajasthan High Court's order acquitting Saifurrehman, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Saif and Sarvar of all the charges, in the 2008 Jaipur Blasts. While acquitting the four convicts, the Rajasthan High Court had quashed and set aside the judgment of conviction and order of sentence of the Trial Court.

The incident is of May 13, 2008, where a series of blasts in a span of 20 minutes at various public premises resulted in death of 71 persons and injuries to 185 persons.

The SLP has been filed by families of the victims of the serial Bomb Blasts. The plea says that "it represents plight of the huge numbers of innocent citizens and their families who were victims of serial bomb blasts and who have been left in a situation of facing grave injustice arising out of the impugned order..".

The plea further states that, "the convicted accused persons have been acquitted on the basis of gross misapplication of law by the Hon’ble High Court. The entire appreciation of law as made by the Hon’ble High Court is so grossly erroneous and contrary to settled principles of law of appreciation of evidence that a bare perusal of the impugned order would be sufficient to shake the conscience of this Hon’ble Court".

Earlier, the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench had acquitted the four convicts involved in the 2008 Jaipur Blasts case holding that apparent manipulations and fabrications were done during the investigation. The Court had further affirmed the acquittal of a fifth accused by the Trial Court.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Pankaj Bhandari and Justice Sameer Jain had held, “It is apparent that the investigation was not fair and it appears that nefarious means were employed by the Investigating Agencies, material witnesses required to unfold the events were withheld and apparent manipulations and fabrications have been done during the investigation. We therefore deem it proper, in interest of society, justice and morality, to direct the Director General of Police, Rajasthan, to initiate appropriate enquiry/disciplinary proceedings against the erring officers of the investigating team.”

Cause Title: Rajeshvari Devi & Anr v. State of Rajasthan