The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday extended stay on execution of murder convict and Sonepat resident Dharam Pal (now in Ambala jail) till July 29. He was sentenced to death by Sonepat court in 1997 in a rape case in which he had also murdered rape victim's five family members. President of India had last year dismissed his mercy petition after over 13 years of pendency.
Punjab and Haryana high court had earlier stayed execution of the accused till May 6. Dharampal is a resident of Shahpur Turk in Sonepat district of Haryana. On the rape victim’s complaint, Dharampal was earlier awarded 10 year imprisonment on January 7, 1991. But later, when he was out on parole in 1993, he along with his brother Nirmal Singh had murdered the rape victim’s father, mother, two brothers and a sister in the wee hours of June 4, 1993. However, the victim and her husband were able to save their lives.
Dharampal was on April 5 transferred from Rohtak jail to Ambala central jail for his execution on April 15.