Kalam to meet Afzal’s family today

NEW DELHI: President APJ Abdul Kalam will give personal hearing on Thursday to the family of Mohammed Afzal Guru.

Rashtrapati Bhavan sources said that the meeting would take place at 1.45 pm. Afzal’s wife Tabassum, who submitted a clemency petition for her husband on Tuesday, had also requested for a personal hearing by the President.

Afzal’s wife, his mother Ayesha Begum and his seven year old Ghalib would be meeting the President along with lawyers Nandita Haksar and ND Panchauli. Meanwhile, the Union home ministry will seeks Delhi government’s views on Afzal’s clemency plea. “The home ministry has received from Rashtrapati Bhavan a copy of the clemency petition,” an official spokesman said.

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.