Supreme Court seeks govt response on Punjab death row terrorist's plea

The Supreme Court today sought Delhi government's response on death row convict and Punjab terrorist Devender Pal Singh Bhulllar's plea for reducing his sentence to life term as his mercy petition before the president has not been decided for the past eight years.

Claiming that Bhullar had developed suicidal tendencies and a host of health complications in Tihar jail where he is lodged, the convict's family pleaded that his sentence be reduced to life imprisonment and cited a Supreme Court ruling in 1989 wherein it was held that such convicts can seek commutation on the ground of delay in executing the punishment.

A vacation bench of Justice GS Singhvi and Justice CK Prasad, while issuing the notice to the government, sought its reply within six weeks.

Bhullar was sentenced to death by a designated TADA court on August 25, 2001, for his role in the September 10, 1993, bomb blast in Delhi targetting the cavalcade of car carrying then All India Youth Congress president Maninderjit Singh Bitta, who escaped with serious injuries, though nine security personnel were killed.

The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed his appeal, review and also the curative petition on March 12, 2003.

His mercy petition, filed thereafter, has been pending with the president of India since then.