By IANS
Bhubaneswar: Union Law Minister M. Veerapa Moily Monday said Afzal Guru, the convict mastermind behind the 2001 parliament attack, can’t be sent to gallows “selectively” as mercy petitions of many other convicts
on death row are awaiting the president’s response.
“You can’t pick and choose people and send them to the gallows,” he said.
“There are a number of cases with death conviction in our country, which are still to be executed,” said the law minister.
He said the process of justice “will take its own course”.
“Even Indira Gandhi (assassination) case took years before the justice was delivered,” he added.
Guru’s mercy plea, pending with the home ministry since 2006, is one of 28 such petitions. Home Minister P. Chidambaram last month said the ministry has started “processing the files in order as they appear”.
Guru, who is serial number 22 out of 28, has been convicted of planning the Dec 13, 2001, attack on the Indian parliament.