The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed the death warrants issued for execution of a girl and her lover, who were convicted killing seven members of her family in Uttar Pradesh in 2008.
A bench led by Justice A K Sikri held the warrants issued by a court in Amroha as “defective” since it failed to comply with the guidelines issued on execution by the top court and also by the Allahabad High Court.
It underlined convicts Shabnam and Salim still had legal remedies available to them in the form of review petition and that they must get proper legal aid to file such petitions.
Further, the death warrants had failed to mention date and time of execution in breach of the HC guidelines, noted the bench.
It directed the Centre and state government to comply with all the pertinent guidelines on the subject and enable the duo to avail all remedies, including filing the mercy petitions before the Governor and the President.
Shabnam and Saleem wanted to marry but Shabnam’s family was against this alliance. The two drugged Shabnam’s entire family and then hacked them to death on April 15, 2008, in Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh.
According to the prosecution, while Shabnam held the drugged, Saleem hacked them to death with an axe. The incident took place in Bawankhera village of Amroha. They were sentenced to death by the lower courts which was appealed against by the duo. But the Supreme Court upheld their death penalty underlining they deserved no mercy in view of gravity of their offence.

Indian Express | May 27, 2015

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