Afzal Guru's File Moves Back & Forth

After being in oblivion for almost 4 years, Afzal Guru's mercy petition suddenly witnessed a frenzy of activity on Wednesday. Guru was convicted of the 2001 Parliament attacks, and was awarded a death sentence by the Supreme Court. However, his wife Tabassum had filed a mercy petition, in 2006.

The file was moved by the Delhi home department to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Tejendra Khanna's office this morning - only to be immediately sent back to the department for several "clarifications".

Rules say that if the Delhi government agrees with the Supreme Court's order of hanging Afzal Guru to death, it must be accepted by the Lieutenant Governor before the government can seek the Union home ministry's approval.

The Delhi government backed Guru's death sentence, but noted in its letter to the L-G that "implications of law and order may not be in Delhi particularly, but the overall picture needs to be kept in mind".

L-G Tejendra Khanna found the information "very vague", and sent the file back to the CM's office within an hour seeking further clarification on it. According to sources, the issue was too sensitive to elaborate on.

Earlier in the day, Delhi CM Shiela Dixit pleaded ignorance over the file being returned, and a reply, thankfully, was promptly sent to the L-G's office by the afternoon after providing more clarification.

The government has kept mum about the finer details of the exchanges between both parties.

The present flurry of activity comes after the Home Ministry reportedly chastened the Delhi government for not responding to its letter, and asked it for a status report. The ministry had written to the Delhi government about the mercy petition, which has been pending with the latter since 2006.

According to norms, once the Lieutenant Governor clears the file, it will go to the Union home ministry after it is sent back to the city home department.