Saibanna hanging: Stay extended

 The High Court on Monday extended the stay on hanging of convict Saibanna Nigappa Natikar till March 5, on a petition filed by him citing nearly eight years delay in deciding on his mercy petition which was recently rejected by the President.

 A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao and Justice S Abdul Nazeer passed the order after hearing submission by the counsel representing Natikar, who said that the convict, who is facing the gallows for murdering his wife and daughter in 1994, submitted that he had to suffer on death row due to delay in deciding on his mercy plea moved on April 29, 2005, after the SC dismissed his plea.

 The state government has filed a statement of objections in the case and Assistant Solicitor General representing the Centre sought more time to file objections.

 The Bench observed that there is already a sevenyear- eight-month delay by the President to look into the mercy petition.

 “The HC had given three weeks to file objection and you still seek more time.

 There should not be any delay in such cases,” observed the bench and adjourned the case for further hearing.

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