HC seeks Centre's reply on Chhattisgarh's plea in murder case

The Delhi High Court today sought response from the Centre on Chhattisgarh government's plea seeking dismissal of a death row convict's appeal here on the ground of lack of jurisdiction.
The high court had stayed the execution of Sonu Sardar, held guilty for the murder of five persons, including two children, in Chhattisgarh in 2004. His review plea had already been rejected by the apex court.
On March 2, a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Ashutosh Kumar had restrained the prison authorities at Raipur in Chhattisgarh from carrying out the execution till April 7.
Sardar's "black warrant" (death warrant) was scheduled to be signed on March 4.

However, Chhattisgarh government, moved the Delhi High Court seeking dismissal of Sardar's petition "being not maintainable before Delhi High Court on the ground of lack of territorial jurisdiction".
The bench issued notice to the Centre seeking its reply before April 7 on the application of Chhattisgarh.

On Sardar's petition, the court already issued notice to the Centre and Chhattisgarh government seeking their reply on the plea. The plea has sought quashing of the President's rejection of his mercy plea.
Sardar in his plea had contended there was delay of two years and two months by the President in deciding his mercy plea.

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".