Afzhal's family in capital to submit clemency plea

New Delhi, Oct 3: Even as Mohammad Afzal Guru is to be hanged on October 20 in connection with the 2001 attack on Parliament, his family plans to submit a plea for clemency to President A P J Abdul Kalam, sources close to the family said.

Afzal's wife Tabasum, his seven-year-old son Ghalib, mother Ayesha Begum, brother Hilal Ahmed Guru and father-in-law Ghulam Mohammed flew in here from Srinagar late this evening without much media fanfare.

Afzal's family plan to approach the President to seek clemency for him. They will also meet Afzal in Tihar Jail tomorrow afternoon where they will submit the clemency plea to the Jail authorities, to be submitted to the President.

The mercy petition is being filed by Mohammad Afzal's lawyer N D Pancholi and Kamini Jaiswal. As per procedure, the petition will be handed over to the Jail Superintendent at Tihar tomorrow. The Superintendent would then forward it to the President.

Earlier in the day, his family members will meet press and release the letters written by Afzal from jail, the sources said.

The sources said in Delhi, Afzal's family is said to be staying with Nandita Haksar, who has been in the forefront of the campaign for mercy to Afzal. Afzal was convicted for plotting the December 13, 2001 Parliament attack that left 14 people dead.

Afzal's wife Tabasum, a nurse by profession, had said her husband was innocent and implicated deliberately in the case.

UNI

Related Stories