MPs, former judges and others question 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon's death sentence

New Delhi: With just a few days left for his hanging, people from diverse fields have questioned the death sentence to 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju on Sunday said that there has been "gross travesty of justice" in the case of Memon who is going to be hanged on July 30 for taking part in the conspiracy to carry out serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in 1993.

Katju said after carefully studying the judgement of the court he finds that the evidence on which Memon has been found guilty is "very weak".

Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury also criticised the death sentence but said Memon should be jailed for life. "The CPM considers that Yakub Memon is a part of a conspiracy and he should certainly be punished. We have reason and International committee have given its consent too. He should be under life imprisonment."

Some people also urged President Pranab Mukherjee to grant Memon reprieve from execution. In their 15-page petition submitted to the President, the signatories numbering around 30 including several eminent persons, claimed there are "substantive and fresh grounds" that can be considered on merits to give reprieve to Yakub.

The petition came amid a huge debate over Memon's hanging and BJP's condemnation of remarks by parties over the execution, saying such a defence is happening due to "petty politics".

Besides BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha and expelled party MP Ram Jethmalani, those who have signed the petition included MPs like Mani Shankar Aiyar (Congress), Majeed Memon (NCP), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), D Raja (CPI), KT S Tulsi and HK Dua (nominated) and T Siva (DMK), former CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI(ML-Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Brinda Karat (CPM), filmmakers and actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Mahesh Bhatt, MK Raina and Tushar Gandhi.

It also included various academicians, members of the legal fraternity, activists as well as retired judges - Justices Panachand Jain, HS Bedi, PB Sawant, H Suresh, KP Siva Subramaniam, SN Bhargava, K Chandru, and Nagmohan Das, noted lawyer Indira Jaising.

Others included academicians like Irfan Habib, Arjun Dev, DN Jha, and social activists Aruna Roy, Jean Dreze and John Dayal.

Memon is scheduled to be hanged on July 30 as per the warrant issued by TADA Court.