Abhi case: HC defers hearing till Jan 11

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, November 30

With the Supreme Court already seized of the matter, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today deferred the hearing on petitions filed by two assassins of Hoshiarpur boy Abhi Verma till January 11.

The duo is seeking a stay on the execution of their death warrants. They were to be hanged on October 25. On August 7, President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected their mercy petitions. They had also moved the apex court pleading that the hearing of their review petitions be reopened.

The developments took place on a petition filed by Jasbir Singh, alias Jassa, and Vikram Singh, alias, Vicky. Residents of Hoshiarpur district, the duo are presently confined in the Patiala Central Jail.

Justice Rameshwar Malik has already ordered the production of the entire record on plea filed by the accused for staying the execution of death warrants. The record includes the grounds on which the mercy petitions of both the accused were rejected.

The Bench on the previous date of hearing had also issued notice to Punjab Home Secretary, DGP (Prisons) and Superintendent of the Patiala Central Jail.

In the petition filed through counsel GK Maan, they had also sought directions for commutation of their death sentence to life imprisonment on the grounds on delay in execution of death warrants by a Hoshiarpur court.