Delhi government sends Afzal Guru’s file to lieutenant governor

NEW DELHI - The Delhi government Wednesday sent the file on mercy petition of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru back to Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna, a day after he had sought some clarifications, an official source said.

“The file has been sent back to the lieutenant governor’s office after addressing the concerns raised (by him),” the source said.

Khanna’s office had sought some clarifications Tuesday from the state government after it had sent Guru’s file there.

The government, while backing the death sentence to Guru, expressed concern about the law and order situation following the execution of the parliament attack convict.

The government was sitting over Guru’s file for almost 4 years and had got 16 reminders from the home ministry on the issue. It replied to the latest reminder saying the matter was under “active consideration”.

Guru, a resident of Sopore in the Kashmir Valley, was found guilty of plotting the Dec 13, 2001, parliament attack and was sentenced to death by a trial court in December 2002. The Delhi High Court confirmed the death penalty in October 2003.

The Supreme Court had also upheld the capital punishment given to Guru for his role in the terror attack. Guru’s wife, Tabassum, filed a mercy petition before the president after the apex court’s verdict.

As per the laid down procedure, the president sought the home ministry’s views on the mercy petition in 2005.

The procedure on mercy petition also requires the home ministry to seek comments of the state government in whose jurisdiction the crime, for which the death penalty is awarded to the convict, has been committed.