Memon's death sentence should be converted to life imprisonment, says senior lawyer

Questioning the 'different standard' being used for 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon, senior advocate Abha Singh on Friday said the latter's death sentence should be converted to life imprisonment.

"Yakub Memon is in jail for 20 years. When the death penalties of killers of Rajiv Gandhi or Beant Singh have been converted to life imprisonment then why not Yakub Memon. His death penalty too should be converted into life imprisonment," Singh told ANI.

"Owaisi has expressed same sentiment that when life imprisonment is being given to Rajiv Gandhi's killers and Beant Singh killers then why a different standard for Yakub Memon...Somewhere the law is not appearing to be equal for Yakub Memon," she added.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had yesterday alleged that Memon is being hanged only because he belongs to a particular religion and added that death sentences of those convicted in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case were commuted to life imprisonment.

Yakub, who is to be hanged on July 30, had last week filed a mercy petition to the Governor.