New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of Asadullah Akhtar, a convict in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar twin blast case in Hyderabad. Akhtar had been sentenced to death by a special NIA court, a decision later upheld by the Telangana High Court on April 8.
The blasts, carried out on February 21, 2013, struck a busy market area and bus stop in Dilsukhnagar, killing 18 people and injuring over 100. Following the High Court order, Akhtar filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court on September 20, challenging the sentence.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria heard the case on September 25. Akhtar’s lawyer, Seema Mishra, requested the court to excuse a delay of 75 days in filing the SLP. The bench accepted the request and ordered a stay on the execution.
The court directed that original records from the trial court and the High Court be secured. It also asked the Delhi government to submit within eight weeks all probation officer reports related to Akhtar. Further, the superintendent of the prison has been instructed to provide details on Akhtar’s conduct and the nature of work he undertook while in custody. Jail authorities have also been told to assess his psychological condition.
The stay provides temporary relief to Akhtar while the Supreme Court undertakes a closer examination of the case.
