In a setback for the Gujarat government, the Supreme Court on Friday acquitted all the accused in the 1993 Surat Bomb blast cases that had left one girl dead and more than 40 injured.

A bench led by Justice T S Thakur set aside the judgement of the TADA court convicting the accused in 2008 and sentencing them to varying jail terms up to 20 years.

The court also dismissed the state government’s appeals demanding enhancement of punishment for some convicts and also challenging the acquittals of a few accused.

Two blasts had rocked the city in 1993. First bomb blast took place on 21 January 1993 in Varachha area of Surat. Next day another bomb blast happened at Surat railway station targetting an express train. The Varachha blast killed one female student Alpa Patel and caused serious injuries to 11 persons. The blast at Surat railway station seriously injured 38 passengers.

The TADA court upheld the prosecution’s version that these blasts were carried out to retaliate against the demolition of Babri mosque in Ayodhya. It held them guilty of terror charges and sentenced them to varying jail terms.

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