President Patil rejects mercy petitions of two convicts

New Delhi, May 27 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has rejected the mercy petitions of two convicts, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar of Punjab and Mahender Nath Das of Assam, following the recommendations from the Union Home Ministry and cleared the way for their execution.

The Supreme Court had on Monday expressed surprise and asked the Centre the reasons for the eight-year delay in deciding the clemency plea of 1993 Delhi car bomb blast convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar.

An alleged Khalistan Liberation Force terrorist, Bhullar was sentenced to death for masterminding the car bomb attack on then Youth Congress President Maninderjit Singh Bitta, which left nine persons dead just a stone's throw away from Parliament on September 10, 1993.

President Patil also rejected the mercy petition of Mahendra Nath Das, who has been found guilty of murdering one Hara Kanta Das.

Under article 72 of the Constitution, the President is empowered to grant pardon, can reprieve, respite or remit the punishment. (ANI)