2008 Jaipur blasts accused acquittal: Rajasthan police to conduct audit, analyse HC judgment, says DGP

Last month, flagging a “botched investigation” caused by “institutional failure”, the Rajasthan High Court acquitted all four men who were sentenced to death in 2019 in connection with the blasts that claimed 71 lives and injured 185 people. The HC also directed the DGP to take action against erring officials.

“We have taken the honourable High Court’s comments seriously. And we are analysing it, the investigation, the records, and what kinds of lacunae are there,” he said.

He said that the HC pointed out that the CCTV footage of terrorists should have been taken from the railway station. “So we wrote a letter and were told that there was no CCTV coverage back then at the railway station,” he said.

Similarly, it was asked why the bus tickets of the terrorists weren’t seized. “Why would I, for example, keep the ticket carefully unless I have to get it reimbursed. Why would terrorists keep the ticket?”

Nevertheless, “the police investigation is underway. We will introspect. I am myself conducting the inquiry,” the DGP said.

At the press conference, the DGP also pointed out that as part of a special crackdown on criminal elements, about 13,000 persons have been arrested between March and April 9, while over 7,000 persons were arrested under CrPC 151. He said that compared to March last year, there has been a nine per cent decline in crimes due to the police action.