A Special Court on Wednesday (18 December) convicted four, out of five accused in the 2008 Jaipur bomb blasts case, for their involvement in a serial bomb blasts which rocked Jaipur on 13 May 2008 at eight places in the walled city, killing 71 people and injuring 185.

The court convicted Mohammad Saif, Sahfarrahman, Sarwar Azmi and Mohammad Salman under different sections including murder, treason, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Explosives Act, while one accused Shahbaz has been acquitted for lack of evidence by judge Ajay Kumar Sharma. The court might pronounce the quantum of punishment in next two days.

Police had earlier held 13 accused in the case.

While five of them were languishing in Jaipur Central Jail, three are absconding, three accused are in Hyderabad jail and the rest three are in Delhi Jail. Two of them have been shot in Batla House encounter.

The prosecutors have demanded death penalty hanging to the convicts. Even the family members of the victims have wanted death sentence for the convicts.

On 13 May, eight blasts rocked Jaipur at Chandpol Gate, Badi Chaupad, Triploya Bazaar, Jauhari Bazaar and Sanganeri Gate within 12-15 minutes.

Those who died in Batla House encounter are Mohammad Ameen and Chhota Sajeed while those absconding include Mirza Shadab, Sajeed Bada and Mohammad Khaleed.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)