After finishing all formalities, Suleiman and Usman took custody of the body and left for the Nagpur airport by 9.45 am, local jail authorities confirmed.
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Justice Dipak Misra ruled that staying the execution would amount to a “travesty of justice” as Memon had been allowed to use all legal means to present his case. Both have fled the country. Later, the Supreme Court transferred the death sentence of remaining 10 accused of the Mumbai blasts to life imprisonments, except Memon. However, the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation said that he was arrested in New Delhi on August. 5, 1994.
In India, most death penalties handed out by the lower courts are commuted to life imprisonment by the higher courts. Memon’s lawyers cited a Supreme Court judgement of Shatrugan Chauhan to argue that he can’t be hanged for at least 14 days after his mercy plea was rejected.
But the Supreme accepted the government’s contention that Memon’s brother had filed a mercy plea last year, which had been rejected by the President and hence, a 14-day waiting period between the rejection of a clemency appeal and the execution was not needed for Memon. Yakub’s brother, Suleiman Memon, and cousin Usman, was not seen.
“There is no question of victory or elation. I’ve just done my job”.
The Bombay Stock Exchange, the offices of national carrier Air India and a luxury hotel were among about a dozen targets of the March 1993 blasts.
The motivation was said to have been revenge for the destruction of a 16th century Muslim holy site by a mob of Hindu nationalists. The judgments began in late 2006.
As a last minute effort to save 53-year-old Memon from gallows, his lawyers challenged the issuance of black warrant on July 13 contending that the death warrant was issued before the apex court could decide the curative petition.
In 2006, popular Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt was also convicted of acquiring illegal weapons tied to the Mumbai bombings.
As Mumbai woke up to the news of the hanging, scores of police gathered near the Memon family home and cordoned off the area. Supporters of his appeal say he offered crucial evidence that helped convict others responsible for the terror attack, including several members of his own family. Police were also stationed at the various places in the city where the bombs had exploded.
Despite opposition from human rights activists, the Supreme Court gave the go ahead on the hanging and it was carried out earlier today.
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Interestingly, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi and MIM MLA Waris Pathan, who were vocal against the death sentence a day earlier, appealed to the people to ensure peace in the state and not react to the development.
