NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of the death penalty of Ahmed Bawa alias Abbu Abubakar Barelvi, who was an operative of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) and was convicted for the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts that left 56 people dead. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, A G Masih and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the Gujarat government on Bawa's plea against the Gujarat high court verdict, which upheld his death sentence awarded by the trial court.The HC on July 7 upheld the death sentences of 38 operatives of IM in the 2008 blasts case, citing the large number of casualties. It also upheld life imprisonment given to 11 other convicts, holding that their roles in terror training camps in Gujarat and Kerala and logistical support to the conspiracy had been proved. On July 26, 2008, a series of 21 bomb blasts ripped through different areas of Ahmedabad, killing 56 people and leaving over 200 injured.

The HC had rejected all appeals filed by the convicts and confirmed the Feb 2022 judgment of the special court, which had sentenced 38 IM members to death and 11 others to life imprisonment. The state govt had sought confirmation of the death sentences.