The decision given by the High Court in the case of serial bomb blasts in Jaipur city of Rajasthan in the year 2008 has been termed as 'shock' by those who had lost their relatives in these blasts.

At the same time, a government lawyer has said that the state government will challenge this decision in the Supreme Court.

The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday acquitted the four accused in the case, setting aside the death sentence awarded by the trial court in the year 2019.

Along with this, the High Court also reprimanded the investigating agency for 'poor' investigation.

At least 71 people were killed and more than 180 were injured in eight serial blasts in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, on 13 May 2008.

At the same time, civil rights activists have demanded a fresh probe into the case to provide compensation to the accused who spent 15 years in jail, justice to those killed and injured in the blasts.

About 11 years ago, eight serial bomb blasts shook the walled city of Jaipur.

The first blast took place at Chandpol Hanuman Temple and after that the second at Sanganeri Gate Hanuman Temple.

After this there were blasts at Badi Chaupar, Johri Bazar, Chhoti Chaupar and three other places.

The bombs were kept in the tiffin box on the bicycle.

After the High Court's decision, Rajendra Sahu, a textile businessman, raised the question, "Is this justice?" Sahu's wife Sushila was injured due to the blast.

Due to a head injury, she remained in a coma for four years and passed away in 2012.

Sahu asks, “If they (the accused) did not carry out the blasts then who is responsible for the killing of 71 innocent people?

Who is responsible for this deep pain of those who lost their loved ones or those who are still living that pain?

If all four were not guilty then who was guilty?

This is a burning question and everyone needs its answer.

He said that if the investigating officer did not conduct a fair investigation, or if he failed to reach the truth, then the government should demand an answer from him as to who is responsible.

He said, “It is the responsibility of the state to provide us justice.

I am trying to forget what happened to my family in all these years, but it is not possible to forget what happened.

May be I am doing routine and normal work but what about those things which always come again and again in my mind that why all this happened when we did not harm anyone.'' Shahu's wife is Chandpole based. Had gone to Hanuman temple to offer prasad.

Gajendra Singh Rajawat was also one of the other devotees of Lord Hanuman who was entering the temple that evening with offerings in his hands.

Then a loud bang was heard and he fainted.

Rajawat, who narrowly survived the blasts, says, “22 pellets hit my body.

The pain I felt pales in comparison to the pain of the acquittal of the accused.

On December 18, 2019, the special court of Rajasthan convicted the accused Mohammad Sarwar Azmi, Mohammad Saif, Mohammad Salman and Saifur Rahman in this case while giving benefit of doubt to Shahbaz Hussain and acquitted him.

The state government challenged the acquittal of Shahbaz Hussain in the High Court.

At the same time, all four had filed an appeal against the sentence.

A division bench of Justice Pankaj Bhandari and Justice Sameer Jain gave the verdict to acquit all four on Wednesday.

The court, in its order, also confirmed the acquittal of a fifth person – Shahbaz Hussain – by the trial court.

The court on Wednesday termed the case as a 'classic example' of institutional failure which led to erroneous/flawed/poor investigation.

The court acquitted all the four accused in the blast case.

At the same time, the bench said that it may be true that if the accused of a heinous crime are not punished or acquitted, there may be anguish and despair in the society and especially in the family of the victims.

The court said that the law does not permit the courts to punish the accused on the basis of moral conviction or mere suspicion.

A conviction should not be based merely on the apprehension of censure of a given judgment.

The court also noted that the Supreme Court in its judgment in the case of Prakash Singh and others vs. Union of India and others had considered the constitution of 'Police Complaints Authority' which is still not properly constituted in the State of Rajasthan.

The court has said in its order, “This case is a classic example of institutional failure, resulting in faulty/flawed/poor investigation.

We fear that this is not the first case to be affected due to the failure of the investigating agencies and if things go on like this, it certainly will not be the last case where shoddy investigation has affected the delivery of justice.

Therefore, we direct the State, especially the Chief Secretary, to look into the matter.

Defense counsel S.S.

Ali said the court found the entire premise presented by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) probing the case to be wrong.

He said that the matter was investigated by four different investigating officers.

An investigating officer, who filed the charge sheet in the case, declined to comment when contacted.

Additional State Advocate Rekha Madnani said that after approval from the state government, a writ petition (SLP) will be filed in the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.

On the other hand, civil rights activists have demanded a fresh probe into the matter.

Kavita Srivastava of NGO PUCL said, "The acquitted accused should be compensated for the loss of 15 years spent in jail, the defamation of the family should be compensated."

He said action should be taken against the police team that conducted the investigation and a fresh probe should be started to bring justice to the victims of the blasts.