Special Court to start hearing on quantum of sentence on Feb 11
Ahmedabad: A special court here on Wednesday said it will begin hearing arguments on February 11 for deciding on the quantum of sentence for convicts in the case of 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts.
The hearing was deferred on Wednesday after a defence lawyer requested some time to gather documents before the court begins further proceedings in the case. The court had on Tuesday convicted 49 people in the case related to the blasts which had claimed 56 lives and left over 200 injured. In the verdict, which came 13 years after the deadly blasts, special judge A R Patel acquitted 28 accused, giving them the benefit of doubt. As many as 20 explosions had ripped through the city on July 26, 2008. On Wednesday, a defence lawyer submitted an application before the court, seeking three weeks' time to collect relevant documents from the convicts before the hearing on the quantum of sentence, special public prosecutor Amit Patel said.
Various documents, like medical papers and educational qualifications, will be used by the defence to present a case for seeking minimum sentence for the convicts. "The court granted them time till tomorrow and kept the matter for Friday when it will hear the convicts and then the prosecution, before deciding on the quantum of sentence," Patel told reporters. The convicts can attract a maximum punishment of death or imprisonment for life, and the prosecution will argue for the maximum punishment. Another special public prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt said the court has directed the defence lawyers to collect the required documents from jails where the convicts are lodged by Wednesday evening. The court also directed the jail authorities to help them, he said.
"A defence lawyer sought time, arguing that he has not been able to contact his clients due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The court said the lawyers have argued their case and have the knowledge of relevant documents, but granted them a day's time in the interest of justice," Brahmbhatt said.
