In Delhi, Law Minister Kapil Sibal tried to score a brownie point over BJP by remarking that the party which was literally baying for the blood of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, was now silent about the killers of Rajiv Gandhi. He however added that the Centre would abide by the Supreme Court verdict.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday commuted the death sentence of three convicts to life imprisonment on the ground of 11 years delay in deciding their mercy plea by the Centre.
A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam rejected the Centre's submission that there was no unreasonable delay in deciding their mercy plea and the condemned prisoners did not go through agonising experience as they were enjoying life behind the bars.
The bench, also comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and S K Singh, said they are unable to accept the Centre's view and commuted the death sentence of convicts--Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan--to imprisonment for life subject to remission by the government.
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