UPA Government Was Split Over Decision To Hang Bhullar
[Editor: It is due to the BJP's (Bhartiya Janata Party's) strong/uncompromising stand and also due the President of India, that an EVIL named "State Sponsored Killing", is getting legitimacy in the land of Gautam Buddha and Bhagwan Mahavir--most Unfortunate. How can the murder done in cold blood by a state becomes "HEAVENLY", while the same done by a citizen of a country becomes "DEVILISH"....? Is there any logic....?]
NEW DELHI: After Germany deported Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, the German president had sought a reprieve for the Khalistani terrorist awarded a death sentence for the attack on former Indian Youth Congress president Maninder Singh Bitta.
Bhullar was deported from Germany for travelling on fake documents as authorities there were unaware he could face charges that can result in a death penalty and his transfer to India was later held illegal by a German court. Regretting that Bhullar had been sent back to India, the German President wrote to his Indian counterpart seeking clemency for Bhullar.
The German president said his country along with European Union (EU) advocated abolition of death penalty.
Bhullar's case, however, is not similar to the 1993 Mumbai blasts' accused Abu Salem and the Italian marines' case, where India had committed not to execute the persons charged with crimes if they were convicted. There was no such promise made in the Bhullar case.
The information provided by the government also reveals that the government was split over the decision to hang Bhullar, echoing the split opinion of the Supreme Court bench. File notings show the foreign ministry under K Natwar Singh favored commuting Bhullar's death penalty to life sentence.
MEA's advice was, however, rejected by the ministry of home affairs that felt bilateral relations could not be a factor in deciding issues involving the country's criminal justice system.
MEA's advice could have been prompted by a series of clemency pleas from Germany, the UK, the US and Indian politicians like former PM H D Deve Gowda and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani.
Information accessed by SC Agrawal says, "... Several petitions from individuals and institutions, both domestic and foreign, were received seeking clemency for Devender Pal Singh Bhullar. Since some of these petitions were from prominent international personalities and organizations including President of Germany, members of EU, US Congress and UK House of Commons, MEA also considered the matter."
The government told Agrawal that "MEA, with the approval of the then EAM (K Natwar Singh) intimated the MHA that MEA was in favour commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment. The views of MEA were considered by the MHA. The plea of MEA was not accepted on the grounds that bilateral relations cannot be a deciding factor in the enforcement of criminal justice system in the country and that Devender Pal Singh being an Indian criminal, needed to be dealt by Indian laws and procedures and not be guided by extraneous factors."
Then home minister Shivraj Patil rejected Bhullar's mercy petition on July 7, 2005, and the file was submitted to then President APJ Abdul Kalam. The case was reviewed in 2011, when P Chidambaram became the home minister.
Bhullar was deported from Germany for travelling on fake documents as authorities there were unaware he could face charges that can result in a death penalty and his transfer to India was later held illegal by a German court. Regretting that Bhullar had been sent back to India, the German President wrote to his Indian counterpart seeking clemency for Bhullar.
The German president said his country along with European Union (EU) advocated abolition of death penalty.
The information provided by the government also reveals that the government was split over the decision to hang Bhullar, echoing the split opinion of the Supreme Court bench. File notings show the foreign ministry under K Natwar Singh favored commuting Bhullar's death penalty to life sentence.
MEA's advice was, however, rejected by the ministry of home affairs that felt bilateral relations could not be a factor in deciding issues involving the country's criminal justice system.
MEA's advice could have been prompted by a series of clemency pleas from Germany, the UK, the US and Indian politicians like former PM H D Deve Gowda and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani.
Information accessed by SC Agrawal says, "... Several petitions from individuals and institutions, both domestic and foreign, were received seeking clemency for Devender Pal Singh Bhullar. Since some of these petitions were from prominent international personalities and organizations including President of Germany, members of EU, US Congress and UK House of Commons, MEA also considered the matter."
The government told Agrawal that "MEA, with the approval of the then EAM (K Natwar Singh) intimated the MHA that MEA was in favour commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment. The views of MEA were considered by the MHA. The plea of MEA was not accepted on the grounds that bilateral relations cannot be a deciding factor in the enforcement of criminal justice system in the country and that Devender Pal Singh being an Indian criminal, needed to be dealt by Indian laws and procedures and not be guided by extraneous factors."
Then home minister Shivraj Patil rejected Bhullar's mercy petition on July 7, 2005, and the file was submitted to then President APJ Abdul Kalam. The case was reviewed in 2011, when P Chidambaram became the home minister.
Courtesy: The Times of India
