HC doesn’t allow convict to sell kidney to fund fees

The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to allow a death convict to sell his kidney to finance his legal fees.

The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to allow a death convict to sell his kidney to finance his legal fees.

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Haneef Sayeed (46), a death convict in the 2003 Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazar blast case, had written to his lawyer in March asking him to seek the court’s permission to sell off his kidney to finance his fees.

A division bench of Justice D.B. Bhosale and Justice A.R. Joshi refused to entertain Sayeed’s complaint and allowed his lawyer to withdraw the complaint.

The Special Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) had convicted zari worker Ashart Ansari (32), autorickshaw driver Haneef Sayeed, and his wife Fehmida for their involvement in the twin blasts and sentenced them to death on August 6, 2009.

Fifty-six people were killed and more than 250 others were injured in the twin blasts and another blast on board a BEST bus at Ghatkopar.

Haneef, who is lodged at the Nagpur Central Jail, had sent a letter to his lawyer Sushan Kunjuraman to file a writ petition in the court praying to sell his kidney.

Saying that it was a serious and conscious decision, Haneef wrote: “I am very serious because I don’t have money to pay lawyers fees for me and my wife in high court… I will give my kidney to the person who will pay more.”