Supreme Court stays execution of Ahmed Barelvi, death-row convict in 2008 Ahmedabad blasts

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of death sentence awarded to Ahmed Bawa Abbu Abubakar Barelvi, one of 38 convicts sentenced to death in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and 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 legal team argued that his conviction was based entirely on conspiracy charges. The Supreme Court also issued notice to the Gujarat government seeking its response. The bench ordered that a translated copy of the Gujarat High Court judgment be provided, as trial court records were in Gujarati.

The 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts occurred on July 26, killing 56 people. A series of coordinated explosions hit various locations across the city, targeting crowded public places, hospitals, buses, and parked vehicles within approximately 70 minutes.