The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of death sentence awarded to Ahmed Bawa @ Abbu Abubakar Barelvi, one of the 38 convicts sentenced to capital punishment in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Augustine George Masih passed the order while hearing Barelvi’s challenge to the Gujarat High Court judgment upholding his conviction and death sentence.
Barelvi’s counsel argued that his conviction rested solely on allegations of conspiracy. Acknowledging this, Justice Nath stayed the execution. The Supreme Court subsequently issued a notice to the State of Gujarat regarding Barelvi’s appeal and formally stayed his death sentence.
The Ahmedabad serial blasts took place on July 26, 2008, when a series of explosions struck different parts of the city, killing 56 people and injuring more than 200.
A special court in Gujarat, in February 2022, convicted 49 accused in the case. It sentenced 38 convicts to death and 11 to life imprisonment, while acquitting 28 others.
The Gujarat High Court subsequently considered appeals against the convictions and the State’s proceedings seeking confirmation of the death sentences. In July 2026, the High Court upheld the convictions and death sentences of all 38 convicts sentenced to capital punishment.
Barelvi thereafter approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court judgment.
During Thursday’s hearing, his counsel also sought a translated copy of the Gujarat High Court judgment, pointing out that the trial court records were in Gujarati.
The Supreme Court, while issuing notice to the State, stayed the execution of Barelvi’s death sentence pending further proceedings.
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