Reports on deputy registrar quitting incorrect: SC registry

The Supreme Court registry on Sunday termed as "incorrect and misleading" reports that a deputy registrar had quit due to differences over the apex court's verdict on death row convict Yakub Menon.

In a press note issued here, the registry said it took serious objection to the "distorted" news item reported by a section of electronic and print media that Deputy Registrar Anup Surendranath resigned in protest over the execution of Yakub Menon on the orders of the apex court that refused a stay on his execution.

"This is not only incorrect but highly misleading. In fact, a faculty from the National Law University (Dr Anup Surendranath) working on a short-term assignment on deputation at the Supreme Court as Deputy Registrar (Research) has been repatriated to his parent institution with effect from July 31, 2015, on his request as he wanted to pursue his interest in research projects in which he is involved," the press note said.

The note said Surendranath's position can be verified from his letter of July 31.

Surendranath's letter addressed to the Supreme Court registrar said he was resigning and would like to return to his parent institution (National Law University, Delhi) to pursue his research interests and projects he was involved with.

Surendranath said in the letter that he had already discussed the issue with the chief justice of India.

"I thank you and the Supreme Court of India for this wonderful opportunity over the last one year. It has provided me the opportunity to understand the Supreme Court much better and I will be forever grateful for that," the letter states.

Media reports said on Saturday that Surendranath quit his post, citing differences with the court's verdict rejecting the last-ditch plea of Yakub Memon, the lone death row convict in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, against his death warrant.

Reports said Surendranath, in a Facebook post, showed his dissatisfaction over Memon's execution.

Memon was hanged in the Nagpur Central Jail on July 30, after a prolonged legal battle that continued till barely a couple of hours before his execution.

The day saw an unprecedented hearing held at the Supreme Court at 3 a.m. when the court rejected Memon's plea seeking postponement of his hanging by 14 days.

Hours later, Memon was sent to the gallows at 6.35 a.m. - on his 54th birthday - and was pronounced dead at 7.01 a.m. by a medical team present there.