Will clear Afzal Guru’s file in 48 hours, on receipt: Shinde

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday said that Afzal Guru`s file would not be kept pending for long.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: With the opposition now questioning the government over delay in executing the 2001 Parliament terror attack case convict Afzal Guru, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday said that his file would not be kept pending for long. Speaking to reporters, Shinde said, “Afzal Guru’s file will not be kept pending for long. I will clear Afzal Guru’s file within 48 hours of its receipt.” When quizzed by the reporters, the Home Minister also denied that the highly secretive decision to hang Ajmal Kasab was taken during the Congress Core Group meeting held recently. “Even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was not aware of the government’s decision,” he said. Shinde also ruled out working under any kind of pressure to execute the terrorists on death row. The Home Minister acknowledged said that early disposal of Kasab’s file by President Pranab Mukherjee led to his execution this morning. His reaction came minutes after the main opposition BJP demanded the early execution of Afzal Guru, who is on a death row for his involvement in the Parliament attack case. After the execution of Ajmal Kasab, demands are now growing for a similar treatment for December 13, 2001 Parliament terror attack convict Afzal Guru, who is also on death row. Afzal Guru’s mercy plea has now been pending with the President for over a year. Afzal Guru was convicted and awarded death in the Parliament attack case, in which 12 people were killed, on August 4, 2005. His mercy petition was forwarded to the President by the Home Ministry on August 4, 2011. The BJP today demanded that Afzal Guru’s mercy plea should be disposed off fast and he be executed. Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh too tweeted saying disposing of Afzal Guru’s mercy plea be fast-tracked. It may be noted that President Pranab Mukherjee had on November 5 rejected Kasab’s mercy plea out-of-turn. With PTI Inputs