Supreme Court stays Dilsukhnagar blasts convict’s death sentence

Hyderabad: A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and N.V. Anjaria passed the order while hearing Akhtar’s special leave petition challenging the Telangana High Court verdict of April 8 that had upheld his death sentence. The high court had confirmed the punishment earlier awarded by the Hyderabad National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court.

Akhtar’s counsel Seema Misra argued that the petition was filed with a delay of 75 days and sought condonation. She also requested that any directions issued by the court be communicated to the authorities of Delhi’s Mandoli Jail, where Akhtar is currently lodged. The bench condoned the delay, stayed the execution and issued detailed directions.

Mandoli Jail asked to submit conduct and mental health reports

The court instructed the Delhi government to submit reports from probation officers on the convict’s behaviour within eight weeks. The superintendent of Mandoli Jail was asked to file a report on Akhtar’s conduct and work in prison during the same period. The judges also ordered a mental health evaluation and directed that the report be submitted within eight weeks. In addition, the trial court and the high court were told to send the original records of the case, while translated copies must be made available to all lawyers involved. The registry was asked to forward the order to the Delhi government’s standing counsel to ensure that the directions were conveyed to the jail authorities without delay.

Next Supreme Court hearing scheduled after 12 weeks

The bench adjourned the matter for 12 weeks, instructing that all records and reports be placed before it at the next hearing. Akhtar’s lawyers were directed to rectify defects in the petition within two weeks.

The Dilsukhnagar blasts on February 21, 2013 left 18 people dead and 131 injured. The NIA special court sentenced Akhtar to death on December 13, 2016. The Telangana High Court upheld the verdict on April 8, 2024. Akhtar filed his appeal in the Supreme Court on September 20, 2024.