Maharashtra Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday rejected the mercy petition of Yakub Memon, the lone death row convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings case.
The Maharashtra Governor’s decision came even as the three-judge Supreme Bench upheld the validity of the curative petition filed by Memon and the death warrant issued by the TADA Court in Mumbai was valid.
Maharashtra Director General of Police Sanjeev Dayal called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Top police officers were reviewing the law and order situation. The meeting came after Additional Director General of Prisons, Meeran Borwankar visited the Nagpur jail this morning to take stock of the preparations.
Reacting to the Supreme Court observations, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters in Mumbai, “The Supreme Court has clearly held that the death warrant issued by the designated TADA Court in April 2015 is legal and valid. Therefore, the State machinery can proceed further on the basis of death warrant. Maharashtra Governor has also rejected the mercy petition. So, I feel there is no legal impediment to proceed according to the death warrant.”
The death warrant had directed that Memon, convicted of criminal conspiracy, financing and aiding, and facilitating the 1993 serial bombings, be executed at 7 a.m. on July 30.
Last week, Memon had sent petition to Maharashtra Governor seeking clemency under Article 161 of the Constitution. The Article empowers a Governor to grant pardons, suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain cases.
