Death row convict Yakub Memon’s family is pinning hopes on the Supreme Court, which is set to hear on Monday his plea seeking a stay on the execution of the death sentence awarded to him.
Memon has been convicted for his role in the March 12, 1993 serial blasts that claimed 257 lives, injured 713 others and damaged property to the tune of Rs 27 crore. He is scheduled to be hanged till death on July 30, which incidentally is his 53rd birthday.
Memon’s wife, Rahin Memon (42) and daughter Zubeda (21) had pleaded for clemency to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. She has requested the death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment.
Memon contended that the death sentence by the trial court did not adhere to the established norms and was issued even before his curative petition was heard by the apex court. The warrant was issued by special TADA court in the last week of April whereas Memon’s curative petition was dismissed on July 21. “We are hoping….we have faith in judiciary,” Memon’s family friend Usman Memon said.
When the family returned in 1994, all adult members of the family were booked. Yakub Memon’s father Abdul Razzak passed away during the course of the trial while his mother Hanifa has been acquitted and confined to wheelchairs. His elder brother Suleiman Memon was acquitted by the TADA court, but his wife Rubina Memon was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Yakub’s wife Rahin Memon was acquitted by the court. Two of his unmarried brothers – Yusuf Memon and Essa alias Anjum Memon were also sentenced to life imprisonment.
Published 26 July 2015, 19:50 IST