President Droupadi Murmu has rejected the mercy petition of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Arif, also known as Ashfaq, who was convicted in the nearly 24-year-old Red Fort attack case, an official said Wednesday.
This marks the second mercy plea rejected by President Murmu since assuming office on July 25, 2022. The Supreme Court had dismissed Arif's review petition on November 3, 2022, upholding the death penalty awarded to him. Despite this, experts note that a death row convict can still seek commutation of their sentence on the grounds of prolonged delay under Article 32 of the Constitution.
The President's secretariat received Arif's mercy plea on May 15 and turned it down on May 27, according to officials.
The Supreme Court, while upholding the death sentence, stated that there were no mitigating circumstances in Arif's favor. The court emphasized that the attack on the Red Fort posed a direct threat to the country's unity, integrity, and sovereignty.
The attack took place on December 22, 2000, when intruders opened fire at the 7 Rajputana Rifles unit stationed within the Red Fort premises, resulting in the deaths of three Army personnel. Arif, a Pakistani national and member of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was arrested by Delhi Police four days after the attack.
(With Agency inputs)