India's SC Paves the Way for Yakub Memon's Hanging; Maharashtra Governor Rejects His Mercy Plea

Yakub Memon

The Supreme Court on Wednesday denied the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon any relief as rejected both his petitions, even as the Maharashtra Governor rejected his 2nd mercy petition, paving the way for his execution on 30 July.

Memon had moved SC seeking quashing of the death warrant issued against him by a special Tada court of Mumbai on 30 April claiming that he had not exhausted all his legal remedies when he was awarded the death penalty. He had also sought a stay on his execution.

A 3-judge bench, constituted by Chief Justice HL Dattu, rejected both his pleas one after the other in the afternoon.

Justice Dattu had constituted a larger bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Prafulla C Pant and Amitava Roy after a 2-judge bench differed in their opinions on Memon's petitions.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao also rejected Memon's plea for mercy, media reports said.

Earlier on Wednesday Memon filed a 3rd mercy petition to President Pranab Mukherjee despite the fact that he had rejected his 1st plea seeking pardon.

Source: International Business Times, July 29, 2015

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