Supreme Court judges differ on Yakub's plea

Supreme Court judges Anil R. Dave and Kurien Joseph on Tuesday took differing stands on 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon's plea challenging his death penalty and urged the chief justice to set up "an appropriate bench" to hear the case.

Recounting the sequence of the court proceedings from 1993 till the curative petition was dismissed on July 21, 2015, Justice Dave dismissed Memon's plea.

But Justice Kurien found fault with the composition of the bench which heard the curative petition, and stayed the operation of the death warrant issued by the TADA court on April 30.

Memon was to hang in Nagpur on July 30.

Justice Kurien said the case should be re-considered after constituting a bench in accordance with Supreme Court rules.

The judges referred the matter to Chief Justice H.L. Dattu. - IANS