The file on Afzal Guru, sentenced to death in Parliament attack case, went back and forth within Delhi government with the Chief Minister unambiguously backing the capital punishment but at the same time asking the Centre to take care of the law and order situation while carrying out the execution on Wednesday in New Delhi.
The Delhi Government sent the file of Guru's mercy petition back to Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna after incorporating some "minor clarifications" as sought by him.
The Lt Governor had sent back the file yesterday seeking more clarification over the remark of the Delhi Government, which had backed the death sentence for Guru but with a rider that the law and order implications should be closely examined while carrying out his execution.
"We have sent back the file after making some minor clarifications. They (LG's office) sought some clarification from our side and we have incorporated those," a top source in Delhi government told PTI.
Khanna had categorically asked Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to clarify whether her government fully supports the carrying out of the execution.
"Yes, the Delhi government fully supports the hanging of Afzal Guru but wants the Centre to take care of the implications of the law and order situation while carrying out the execution," the source said quoting the notings in the file.
According to sources, Khanna also questioned the delay of more than three-and-a-half-years in giving its response to the Union Home Ministry which sought its opinion on the matter. Delhi government refused to divulge the details of the response saying the matter was sensitive.
When asked about the developments and movement of Guru's file, Dikshit said "files move up and down. I don't want to create any confusion. Let the actual picture come out. This is a very sensitive issue."
The sources said the Delhi government would like to finish the entire procedure and send the file to the Union Home Ministry by this weekend.
A source in LG's office said Khanna was going through the file and will soon send it back to the city's Home Department.
The city government had sent the file on Monday to LG's office after the 16th reminder from Union Home Ministry recently seeking its opinion on the matter. PTI
Latest India News
