“Mercy petition of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Arif convicted in 2000 Red Fort attack case rejected by President Droupadi Murmu”, Opindia, June 12, 2024:

“The mercy petition of Mohammed Arif, alias Ashfaq, a Pakistani terrorist found guilty in the nearly 24-year-old Red Fort attack case has been denied by President Droupadi Murmu. Since taking office on 25th July 2022, this is the President’s second rejection of a mercy petition. On 3rd November of the same year, the Supreme Court denied Arif’s petition for a review, upholding the death sentence that had been imposed.

Legal experts believe that a death row defendant could still petition the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution to have their sentence commuted on the grounds of protracted delay, even though the mercy request was rejected. As per the President’s secretariat statement of 29th May, the appeal submitted by Arif on 15th May was dismissed on 27th May.

The Supreme Court underlined the direct threat that the assault on the Red Fort posed to the nation’s unity, integrity and sovereignty while maintaining the death penalty and noting the lack of favourable mitigating circumstances in Arif’s favour…..”

Read the full article at Opindia.com