The Delhi High Court today stayed the execution of a man convicted for the murder of five persons, including two children, in Chhattisgarh in 2004 and whose review plea had been rejected by the apex court.
A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Ashutosh Kumar restrained the prison authorities from carrying out the execution till April 7.
The convict's "black warrant" (death warrant) was scheduled to be signed on March 4.
The bench issued notice to the Centre and Chhattisgarh government seeking their reply on the plea of convict Sonu Sardar who has sought quashing of the President's rejection of his mercy plea.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising and advocate Rishab Sancheti appeared for Sardar and contended there was delay of two years and two months by the President in deciding his mercy plea.
Advocate Atul Jha, appearing for the Chhattisgarh government, opposed the plea, saying the Delhi High Court did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the petition.
Sonu Sardar, along with his brother and accomplices, had killed five persons of a family, including a woman and two children, during a dacoity bid in Chhattisgarh's Cher village in November 2004.
The trial court had slapped death penalty on him and the Chhattisgarh High Court had upheld it.
The Supreme Court in February 2012 had concurred with the findings of two courts below and affirmed the punishment.
Then in February 2015, the apex court also rejected his review plea.
Sardar, in his petition, has also sought commuting of his death sentence to life imprisonment on account of delay in deciding his mercy plea as well as for allegedly keeping him in "solitary confinement illegally".
