The curative petition was his last chance for mercy, since even after the dismissal of a review petition, the apex court could consider a curative petition in order to prevent abuse of its process and to cure gross miscarriage of justice. Higher courts subsequently rejected Memon’s appeals, even as the Supreme Court in March 2013 commuted the death sentence of 10 others accused in this case to life.
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“Lawmakers find it easy to use death penalty as symbol of their resolve to tackle crime & choose to ignore effective solutions”.
The Supreme Court today dismissed the curative petition filed by Yakub Memon, a convict in the 1993 serial Mumbai blasts case.
Sources say the date and time of execution has already been approved by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Memon, who was awarded death penalty by a Tada (Terrorism and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) court on 27 July 2007, had since moved the Supreme Court. President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Memon’s mercy petition in May 2014.
An anti-terror court in Mumbai has issued a warrant to carry out the death sentence against 53-year-old Memon, accordingly which he will be hanged at 7 am on July 30 in Nagpur Central Jail.
Another brother Tiger Memon was alleged to have masterminded the attacks along with Mumbai gang boss Dawood Ibrahim.
Once named the Best Chartered Account by his Memon community, Yakub Memon, 53, handled the finances for his brother, Tiger Memon, in Mumbai.
“I welcome the Court decision with bowed head”, Azmi said.
Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi welcomed the apex court ruling with mixed feelings about the course of the case. He came back with his family, including a child, then an infant. “A noted counsel had said that the prosecution obtained a treasure trove of information (from him)”, Azmi said, maintaining Memon had returned to India of his own volition to surrender.
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The Bombay Stock Exchange, the offices of Air India and a luxury hotel were among the targets of the March 1993 blasts, which killed 257 people in India’s commercial capital.
