New Delhi: Yakub Memon is dead. Hung. Justice, at least, a part of it has been delivered to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts victims. On his 54th birthday, the gallows opened for him and punished him for his role in claiming 257 lives and injuring 713. At 7.01 on Thursday, his birthday became his day of death.
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How it all happened
Till midnight on Wednesday, Yakum still clung on to a string of hope. Even though the Supreme Court appointed panel had rejected his plea, it was referred to the President. For the first time ever, the apex court was opened up in the middle of the night.
The Modi government urged the President to reject the plea and reject it he did. Three-member bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Prafulla Chandra Pant and Amitava Roy will hear the petition at the Supreme Court. It was decided that Memon would have to hang.
While Yakub Memon’s lawyer Anand Grover said the former must get 14 days to challenge rejection of mercy plea by the President, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had stated that if mercy petitions are filed over and over again, death warrants will never be executed.
The Nagpur gallows began preparing for his execution, a ‘secret’ letter was handed out to his family. It seems that a video recording was done throughout the execution process, after which, Memon was declared dead at 7.01 am.
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Reactions
The All India Anti-Terrorist Front ( AIATF) Chairman M.S. Bitta on Thursday said that Yakub Memon’s hanging would bring justice to the people who lost their lives in the 1993 Mumbai terror blasts.
“This will send a big message that India doesn’t go soft on to terrorists. Yakub’s case should be not be related to religion. This is justice for the people who have lost their lives in that blast,” said Bitta.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya on Thursday praised the Supreme Court for upholding its decision to go ahead with the death sentence of 1993 Mumbai blasts death row convict Yakub Memon.
Somaiya said, “Democracy (in India) is alive. The Supreme Court upheld its duty.”
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Background
Memon was convicted for being the “driving spirit” behind the blasts that killed at least 257 people at separate landmarks in the financial capital, including the Bombay Stock Exchange and two crowded markets.
The case has aroused controversy because police considered Yakub’s brother, “Tiger” Memon, and mafia don Dawood Ibrahim to be the main masterminds behind the attacks. Both remain in hiding.
Memon’s sentencing had also stirred a public debate, with supporters saying the death sentence is too harsh given he helped the investigating agencies crack India’s deadliest bomb attack case.
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(with inputs from agencies)