Hang Afzal, says Sheila, with rider

After holding on to Afzal Guru’s file for nearly three years, the Delhi CM on Tuesday backed the SC decision to hang the Parliament attack convict but with remarks that the implications of law and order should be closely examined while carrying out the execution. HT reports. Lt Governor sends Afzal's file back to Delhi govt

After holding on to Afzal Guru’s file for nearly three years, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday backed the Supreme Court decision to hang the Parliament attack convict.

HT Image

“File age chali gayi hai (the file’s been sent),” she said.

“The government has made its stand clear that it does not have any objection (to hanging Guru). The Centre must examine law and order implications if the sentence is executed,” a Delhi government official said.

The announcement coincided with Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s denial that the Centre was going slow on Guru while planning to fast-track 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab’s case. “Every death row convict will be treated alike,” Chidambaram, who laid down the first-in first-out principle for handling mercy petitions, told CNN-IBN.

Law minister Veerappa Moily had earlier spoken for fast-tracking Kasab’s case.

Dikshit had on Monday sent Guru’s file to Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna, who sent it back to the home department on Tuesday, seeking its opinion on law and order implications.

All this doesn’t imply Guru will be hanged any time soon as there are 18 mercy pleas to be disposed of before his comes up.