Two receive life terms for 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Wednesday sentenced Bhavesh Patel and Devendra Gupta to life in jail in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah blast case. The magistrate also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 onPatel (39) and Rs 5,000 on Gupta (41) after they were held guilty under relevant sections of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The blast on October 11, 2007 in the dargah of Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti at the time of Roza Iftaar, had left three pilgrims dead and 15 others injured. On March 8, the court had convicted Patel, Gupta and Sunil Joshi in the case while acquitting a few including Swami Aseemanand.

Joshi died soon after the blast. Defence counsel J S Rana told reporters outside the court that the convicts would file an appealagainst the judgment. "The appeal will be filed in the high court," Rana said. Special public prosecutor Ashwini Sharma said that the court has also fixed March 28 as the date for announcing its decision on a closure report of the NIA.