New Delhi: After yet another reminder from
the Union Home Ministry, the Delhi government on Monday said it will send
in the "shortest possible time" its opinion on the mercy
petition of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Afzal Guru`s file "is already on the move", top sources
in Delhi government said.
"It can be cleared any day. It is already on the move.
We are trying to clear it within shortest possible time," they
said.
The Delhi government`s move to expedite clearance of the
file comes after the Home Ministry sent 16th reminder to it
seeking its opinion on the mercy petition of Guru.
Guru was awarded death sentence by a Delhi court on
December 18, 2002 after being convicted of conspiracy to
attack the Parliament on December 13, 2001, waging war against
India and murder.
The death sentence was upheld by the Delhi High Court on
October 29, 2003 and his appeal was rejected by the Supreme
Court two years later on August 4, 2005.
A Sessions Court also fixed the date of his hanging on
October 20, 2006 in Tihar jail.
Following this, the convict filed a mercy petition with
President of India, who forwarded it to Union Home Ministry
for its comments.
The Union Home Ministry, in turn, sent the report to
Delhi government`s Home Department for its comments, as per
the standard requirement as the execution was to be held in
the capital.
The Delhi government has been sitting on the file for
nearly four years but the capital punishment given to Ajmal
Kasab in the Mumbai attack case has brought the issue under
sharp focus.
The Union Home Ministry had sent a letter nearly a month
ago to the Delhi government, reminding that it wanted to know
its opinion on Afzal Guru`s mercy petition.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit earlier said she was
not aware of any such letter sent by the Union Home Ministry.
"I have not received any letter (from Home Ministry).
May be the Home Department (of the Delhi government received
it)," said Dikshit, who incidentally is in-charge of the Home
Department.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram attended a
function at Dikshit`s residence this evening but it was not
clear whether they discussed the Afzal Guru issue.
The main opposition BJP has been repeatedly questioning
the delay in hanging Afzal Guru.
PTI
