SC sets aside death sentence in 1996 Rajasthan bus blast case, orders fresh trial
The Supreme Court of India has overturned the conviction and death sentence of Abdul Hameed in the 1996 Samleti bus blast case. The court ordered a fresh trial, citing a lack of effective legal representation as a violation of the constitutional right to a fair trial.
Why it matters
This ruling reinforces the judiciary's commitment to procedural fairness and the right to legal counsel, even in cases of extreme complexity.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) set aside the conviction and death sentence awarded to Abdul Hameed in the 1996 Samleti bus bomb blast case, nearly three decades after his arrest and almost 12 years after he was sentenced to death. Holding that the proceedings stood vitiated by the denial of effective legal representation and other procedural lapses that undermined the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial, the court ordered a de novo trial to be completed within one year.
The blast on May 22, 1996 ripped through a Rajasthan Roadways bus travelling from Agra to Bikaner near Samleti village in Rajasthan, killing 14 people and injuring 39 others. The attack occurred a day after the Lajpat Nagar bomb blast in Delhi, which claimed 13 lives.
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