Home Ministry seeks Delhi govt views on Afzal clemency

New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) The Union Home Ministry has forwarded a mercy petition by the family of Mohammed Afzal Guru, facing execution on being convicted in the Parliament attack case, to the Delhi government seeking its views.

''We have received the petition from the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the same has been sent to the Delhi government for its views,'' a Home Ministry official said, adding that the views of the Delhi government was sought because of the fact that the crime happened in the Capital city on December 13, 2001.

Asked if the execution of Afzal which has been ordered by the trial court for October 20 would be deferred, as reported by a section of the media, the official said he would not say anything on the issue now, though he indicated that it might be deferred.

He, however, added that execution would be possible only after the procedures relating to disposal of mercy petition were complied with. ''Any action is possible only after the disposal of the mercy petition.'' The official said normally the Home Ministry could dispose of such petitions within 15 days.

He said the Home ministry had formally communicated to the authorities of the Tihar Jail, where Afzal is imprisoned, about the receipt of the mercy petition.

Under the procedure, the Delhi government would seek the views of the District Magistrate under whose jurisdiction the place of the incident fell.

The Delhi government would report back to the Home Ministry with its recommendations on the basis of the views given by the District Magistrate. The Home Minister would then return the petition with his comments to the President for his final decision.

Yesterday, a collective appeal by the entire family, was filed with the President in the name of Tabassum, Afzal's wife.

Afzal's wife, along with his brothers Aijaz and Hilal, mother Ayesha and seven-year-old son Ghalib, yesterday visited the jail and met Afzal.

The family filed the petition in the wake of refusal by Afzal who reportedly had the feeling that he had been let down at all levels in the courts and had no more hope left. He, however, allowed the family to file the petition.

''He said if we want to we could file the petition seeking clemency. However, he insisted on not doing it himself as he had got no justice in the lower courts and even at the High Court so he saw no hope from anywhere else,'' Afzal's brother said yesterday.

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