Afzal clemency: Home Ministry talks to Delhi govt

The Union Home Ministry has begun consultations with the Delhi government over the petition seeking clemency for Jaish-e-Mohammed militant Mohammed Afzal Guru, who has been sentenced to death for the attack on Parliament.

"The Home Ministry has received from Rashtrapati Bhavan a copy of the clemency petition filed by Afzal's family members to the office of President A P J Abdul Kalam on Tuesday," an official spokesman said on Wednesday.

He said the petition would be taken up with the Delhi government and its views would be sought. As per law, the concerned state government, in whose territory the crime has taken place, is consulted.

In the meantime, the Tihar jail authorities were being informed that the hanging of Afzal, slated for October 20, would not take place until a decision on the mercy petition is taken.

Though there was no time frame to take a decision on the mercy petition, sources in the ministry said the process is likely to be completed in two to three weeks.

Tabassum, Afzal's wife submitted a mercy petition to Kalam's office pleading clemency for her husband.

The sources said Jammu and Kashmir government, whose head Ghulam Nabi Azad has favoured clemency for Afzal, was unlikely to be consulted on the issue.

Afzal's family members also met him in Tihar Jail on Tuesday night and had later claimed that he was not willing to submit any clemency petition and the family members could do as their own initiative.