The Hindu : National : Formalities for Dhananjoy's execution set in motion

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Friday, Aug 06, 2004

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National

Formalities for Dhananjoy's execution set in motion

KOLKATA, AUG. 5. The West Bengal Government today received the formal communication from the Union Home Ministry turning down the mercy petition of rape and murder convict Dhananjoy Chatterjee and set in motion the formalities to execute him.

``We received a communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs today. We are now in the process of completing the formalities. We will set a date for the execution once the formalities are complete,'' the Judicial Secretary, S.K. Chakraborty, told reporters after a meeting with the Jail Secretary and Inspector-General (Prisons).

In reply to a question, Mr. Chakraborty said Dhananjoy had been informed of the President's decision to turn down his mercy petition. Asked to comment on reports that Dhananjoy's lawyer was planning to move another mercy petition at the Supreme Court, Mr. Chakraborty said that under the provisions of the Constitution, there was no limit to the number of times that such petitions could be submitted. ``But as of now, the decision to execute Dhananjoy stands.''

Dhananjoy, awarded capital punishment for rape and murder of schoolgirl Hetal Parekh in 1990, is in the Alipore Central Jail for over a decade now.

— PTI

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