Right to Fair Trial Non-Negotiable: Supreme Court Orders De-Novo Trial for Death Row Convict and Acquits Co-Accused in 1996 Samleti Bus Bomb Blast Case

Case Snapshot

• Case Name: Dr. Abdul Hameed v. State of Rajasthan

• Citation: 2026 INSC 734

• Bench: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vikram Nath, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Karol, and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Mehta

• Date of Judgment: July 21, 2026

• Area of Law: Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Law of Evidence

Judgment in Brief

The Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark verdict in a batch of appeals arising from the 1996 Samleti bus bomb blast in Rajasthan, which killed 14 people and injured 37 others. The Court set aside the conviction and death sentence of primary accused Dr. Abdul Hameed and remitted his case for a de-novo (fresh) trial due to a total violation of his fundamental right to a fair trial, as he was forced to conduct his own defense without legal aid.

Simultaneously, the Court allowed the appeal of co-accused Pappu @ Salim, acquitting him of all charges on the ground that a conviction cannot rest solely on retracted confessional statements lacking independent corroboration. The Court also dismissed the State of Rajasthan's appeals against the acquittal of six other co-accused, reiterating that grave suspicion and uncorroborated co-accused confessions cannot

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