Death row convict: SC seeks Centre’s response on C’garh plea

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) The Supreme Court today soughtresponse from the Centre on a plea of Chhattisgarh governmentchallenging the jurisdiction of Delhi High Court to grant stayon the execution of a man held guilty for the murder of fivepersons, including two children, in 2004. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit also stayedthe proceedings in the case pending before the Delhi HighCourt and posted the matter for further hearing on October 5. The state government has challenged the Delhi High Courtorder saying it had no jurisdiction to stay the execution asthe offence had taken place in Chhattisgarh and even the apexcourt had upheld the death sentence of convict Sonu Sardar. It has said that just because there was a delay indeciding on his mercy petition, it cannot be a ground for thematter to fall in the jurisdiction of Delhi High Court. The state government has sought transfer of the matterfrom the Delhi High Court to Chhattisgarh High Court. The Delhi High Court has on March 2, 2015, stayed theexecution of Sardar convicted for the murder of five persons,including two children, in Chhattisgarh in 2004. The convict’s "black warrant" (death warrant) wasscheduled to be signed on March 4, 2015. Sardar in his plea before the Delhi High Court hadcontended that there was delay of two years and two months bythe President in deciding on his mercy plea. Sonu Sardar, along with his brother and accomplices, hadkilled five persons of a family, including a woman and twochildren, during a dacoity bid in Chhattisgarh’s Cher villagein November 2004. The trial court had slapped death penalty onhim and the Chhattisgarh High Court had upheld it. The Supreme Court in February 2012 had concurred with thefindings of two courts and affirmed the punishment. InFebruary 2015, the apex court also rejected his review plea. Sardar, in his petition, has also sought commuting of hisdeath sentence to life imprisonment on account of delay indeciding his mercy plea as well as for allegedly keeping himin "solitary confinement illegally". PTI MNL SJK RKSARC