Government advises President to reject Yakub Memon's plea

The Indian government has advised President Pranab Mukherjee to reject Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon’s mercy petition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Secretary L C Goyal and a few other top official gathered at the PM’s residence, and came to the conclusion that the president should reject Memon’s plea.

Yakub Memon, 1993 Mumbai blasts convict, is set be hanged after the Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected his curative petition and dismissed all the contention raised by him.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam informed that the apex court said that the curative petition was rightly dismissed.

“SC has clearly held that death warrant issued to Yakub is legal and valid,” said Nikam.

Memon will be hanged on July 30 at 7am at Nagpur jail. He had filed mercy petitions with with Maharashtra Governor and President Pranab Mukherjee also.

However, Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao also rejected his mercy petition. Now, all eyes are set on Mukherjee, whose final decision would be binding.

“There is no hurdle in the way of execution now,” said senior lawyer, KTS Tulsi.

Memon had claimed he was suffering from schizophrenia since 1996 and has remained behind bars for nearly 20 years.

He sought commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment.

A series of blasts had rocked Mumbai on March 12, 1993, leaving 257 dead and over 700 injured.

(Image: Indiatimes)