Even as his curative petition is pending in the Supreme Court, a TADA court in Mumbai has issued a death warrant against 1993 Mumbai serial blast accused Yakub Memon.
According to the warrant, Memon is likely to be hanged at the Nagpur Central Jail on July 30 at 7 am, Shubail Farook, Memon’s lawyer confirmed to The Hindu .
Asked how a >death warrant can be issued despite the pending petition, Mr. Farook said, “That is the malady of our system.”
If the apex court rejects the petition, >Memon will be the first accused of the 1993 blasts to be executed.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the government will follow the directions of the Supreme Court.
Memon, younger brother of the absconding blasts mastermind Tiger Memon, was first sentenced to death on July 27, 2007, by a special TADA court, which held him guilty for his involvement in the blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 700. His appeals were rejected by the higher courts.
In March 2014, the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence, while commuting the death sentence of 10 other accused to life.
President Pranab Mukherjee rejected his mercy petition in April 2014.
