Government likely to advise President to reject Yakub Memon's mercy plea

NEW DELHI: Government is likely to reject the mercy petition of Yakub Memon, who is facing gallows in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, and convey this view to President Pranab Mukherjee.

Hectic consultations were on late in the evening on the issue with Law Secretary P K Malhotra holding discussions with Home Secretary L C Goyal apparently on the issue.

Government sources said the Home Secretary may formally communicate this view to the President who had referred the fresh petition filed by Memon today.

The President, who acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, had referred the petition to the Home Ministry earlier in the day.

Rashtrapati Bhavan is expected to make public its decision, one way or the other, on the issue tonight as time is running out for Memon.

He is scheduled to be hanged tomorrow morning in the Nagpur jail after the Supreme Court dismissed his petition against the death warrant on the ground that it was issued before his curative plea was heard by the court.