Execution comes after SC rejects his plea in historic hearing

Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, the lone convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case facing capital punishment, was hanged to death on Thursday at the Nagpur Central Jail. 

Memon’s last wish of meeting his 21-year-old daughter Zubeda could not be fulfilled, but jail authorities arranged for a telephone call with her on Wednesday night.

During an emotional meeting with his brother Suleiman, he broke down repeatedly. Memon asked his brother to take care of his wife Rahin (42) and Zubeda. He also enquired about other family members.

“As per the directives of the special Tada court, rejection of mercy petitions by the President, Governor and the orders of the Supreme Court, Yakub Abdul Razak Memon was hanged in Nagpur Central Jail at 7 am,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, told the Maharashtra Assembly.

Sources, however, said Memon was hanged at around 6:35 am. The police constable who executed 26/11 attack convict Ajmal Kasab was Memon’s hangman too.

Suleiman and his cousin Usman later claimed Memon’s body which was flown to Mumbai. The body was taken to the Mahim dargah for prayers and then to the Al Husseini building, the Memons residence.

In the evening, Memon’s body was taken to the Bada Kabrastan on Charni Road-Marine Lines and buried.

Tight security was in place in Mumbai with Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria on the streets supervising the arrangements. After the Supreme Court, Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Memon’s plea, a battery of top lawyers, including Prashant Bhushan, Indira Jaising, Anand Grover and Yug Chowdhury, again appealed to Chief Justice of India H L Dattu at his residence on Wednesday night stating that a death row convict is entitled to 14 days reprieve after rejection of mercy plea.

In an unprecedented move, the Chief Justice of India constituted a 3-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, which had earlier in the day upheld the death warrant, to hear the plea.  The doors of the Supreme Court were thrown open in the early hours on Thursday and the hearing was held in court room no 4 at 3:20 am, and at 4:50 am, the plea was rejected.

“Stay of death warrant would be a travesty of justice. The plea is dismissed,” said Justice Misra in the brief order, which was communicated to Nagpur Jail Superintendent Yogesh Desai.

Even as jail authorities awaited the outcome, Memon was woken up at 3:30 am and once the order came, they started the final preparations.