By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi government has not opposed the death sentence to parliament attack convict Afzal Guru but expressed concerns of law and order if he is executed, official sources said here Tuesday.
Delhi government Tuesday forwarded the file on Guru’s mercy petition to Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna with its suggestions. Khanna’s office later returned the file to the state home department, government sources said but did not give any details.
Official sources said the state government has not opposed the death sentence awarded to Guru by a trial court in December 2002.
“But, the government has cited concerns about the law and order situation in the wake of Guru’s execution,” the source said.
This move comes a day after Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit refuted reports that the Delhi government had received a reminder from the home ministry about the mercy petition of Guru.
“I have sent the file,” Dikshit told reporters.
Clarifying her denial about receiving any reminder from the home ministry, Dikshit said: “Many a time ministers are not aware about files.”
A senior Delhi government official said it will take some more time before Guru’s file reaches the union home ministry.
Afzal 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 to 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.