Gauhati High Court upholds CBI court's life sentence to Assam insurgent leader for 2008 serial blasts

At least 88 people were killed and over 500 people were injured in the serial blasts carried out on October 30, 2008

The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday upheld the life sentence given by a special court here in 2019 to insurgent leader Ranjan Daimary and 10 others in connection with the 2008 serial blasts.

At least 88 people died and 550 people were injured in the serial blasts carried out on October 30, 2008 by the now disbanded insurgent group, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). The blasts were simultaneously carried out in Guwahati, Barpeta Road, Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon. This was one of the biggest terror attacks in Assam. The blast triggered protests across Assam and the case was handed over to the CBI, which subsequently submitted charge sheets leading to their conviction by a special court in 2019.

Daimary and others had challenged the special court's order in the High Court. The high court pronounced its judgment on Tuesday upholding the special court's order but acquitted four others.

"We had presented our arguments in favour of Daimary and others but the high court rejected them and upheld the punishment of life sentence. We have no other option now but to move the Supreme Court," Daimary's counsel, Manas Sarania told reporters.

Setback to Daimary:

Daimary is the founder of the NDFB and was named as the prime accused in the blast case. The NDFB, however, was disbanded in March 2020 after all four factions of the banned organisation signed a new Bodo Accord with the government in January 2020. Daimary, who was in jail since 2010, was released on bail for four weeks and was even one of the signatories of the new Bodo Accord. He was later shifted to a "VIP-like cell" in his home district Chirang under Bodoland Territorial Region in western Assam. Following the signing of the accord, there was a demand by several Bodo organisations for general amnesty to Daimary but the High Court's judgment on Tuesday came as a setback to him. "We expected some kind of efforts from the government side to reduce the quantum of punishment. But we are really upset with today's court verdict," Sarania said.