The Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment without remission to four convicts in 1996 Lajpat Nagar blast case and said that expeditious trial of such cases is the need of the hour, especially when it concerns national security and the common man.

Sentencing the four to life imprisonment without remission, a bench of justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Vikram Nath, and Justice Sanjay Karol noted that Lajpat Nagar market, a prominent market in the heart of the capital city, is attacked and said, “we may point out that it has not been dealt with the required degree of promptitude and attention.”

The top court in its judgment said, “In view of the severity of the offence resulting in deaths of innocent persons and the role played by each accused person, all these accused persons are sentenced to imprisonment for life, without remission, extending to natural life.”

Expressing concern over the time taken in the trial of the case and stressing on the expeditious conclusion of trial in such cases, the top court said, “The record reveals it is only on the prodding on the part of the judiciary that the trial could be completed after more than a decade. The delay, be it for whatever reason, attributable to the judge incharge or the prosecution, has certainly compromised national interest.”

It further said that the “Expeditious trial of such cases is the need of the hour, especially when it concerns national security and the common man” and “Regrettably, enough vigilance was not displayed by the investigating as well as the judicial authorities.”

“A prominent market in the heart of the capital city is attacked and we may point out that it has not been dealt with the required degree of promptitude and attention,” the top court said.

To our great dismay, we are forced to observe that this may be due to the involvement of influential persons which is evident from the fact that out of several accused persons, only few have been put to trial. In our considered view, the matter ought to have been handled with urgency and sensitivity at all levels,” the top court said.

Noting that the prosecution has proved the guilt of the accused in the commission of the crime., the top court said that “…, it is evident that Mohd. Naushad (A3), Mirza Nissar Hussain @ Naza (A5), Mohd. Ali Bhatt @ Killey (A6) and Javed Ahmed Khan @ Javed Junior @ Chhota Javed (A9) were part of a criminal conspiracy to cause the blast in the capital city.

Delhi Police had named 17 people as accused in the case. One of the accused expired and six were declared as proclaimed offenders and never faced any trial. Rest of the accused were put on trial.

The Trial Court had awarded Mohd. Naushad, Mirza Nissar Hussain and Mohd. Ali Bhatt death penalty. Javed Ahmed Khan was sentenced to life imprisonment One accused Farooq Ahmed awarded seven-year jail, another accused was sentenced to imprisonment for a period already undergone.

Four accused were acquitted in the case by trial court.

Delhi High Court by its November 22, 2012, judgment commuted the death penalty of Mohd. Naushad to life imprisonment and acquitted Mirza Nissar Hussain and Mohd Ali Bhatt. High Court upheld the sentence and conviction of Javed Ahmed Khan.

The prosecution has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the High Court order.

On May 21 1996, a bomb blast took place in the CentralMarket, Lajpat Nagar, Delhi, in the evening. This incident resulted in 13 deaths and 38 injuries.