HC asks 2008 Ahmedabad blasts convict to engage lawyer for death confirmation hearing

Ahmedabad, Jan 17 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday directed the Sabarmati central jail authorities to inform a convict in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts case to engage a lawyer to represent him in the confirmation of death sentence hearing.

If he could not do that, the court may pass an order appointing a lawyer on his behalf, said a division bench of Justices A Y Kogje and Samir J Dave.

The HC was informed that only one of the 38 convicts who were awarded death penalty did not yet have a lawyer to argue for him.

The trial court in February 2022 awarded death penalty to 38 accused and life imprisonment until death to 11 others in the case related to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts which claimed 56 lives and left more than 200 injured.

A death sentence has to be confirmed by a high court.

Afzal alias Afsar is the only convict who does not have a lawyer, the HC was told.

"It is directed that respondent number 19 (Afzal) be informed by the jail authorities about the present proceedings and directed to engage a private advocate, failing which the court may pass necessary order to engage an advocate through legal services authority," the HC said.

Additional advocate general Mitesh Amin said it has to be ensured that all accused have lawyers.

Meanwhile, the lawyer for the convicts requested the HC to direct that soft copies of the trial court's record and proceedings be submitted as they are voluminous.

Amin submitted that while the convicts are in jail for 14 years, if the preparation of soft copies caused further delay, the convicts themselves would be responsible for that.

The HC directed that soft copies of the record be provided along with a physical copy. PTI