New Delhi:
Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani, who was acquitted in the Parliament attack case, today alleged that Afzal Guru's family was not told by the government about his execution.
"The family was not informed. Under the law, Afzal Guru's wife had every right to meet him before the execution," Mr Geelani told NDTV. "The rejection of a mercy petition too is subject to judicial review."
Afzal Guru was hanged at Delhi's Tihar Jail at 8 this morning and buried inside the prison premises. Home Secretary RK Singh has said his family was sent a letter about the plan to execute him and senior police officials in Kashmir had confirmed its receipt.
But Mr Geelani said Afzal Guru's wife had no knowledge of it. "I woke her (Afzal Guru's wife) up this morning at around 6.30-6.45 am and informed her about rumours of the hanging. It was a shock to her. She was completely unaware and told me that none of the family members had been informed," he said.
"The whole thing is politically motivated. It is because of votebank politics. The government is playing to the galleries and preparing for the 2014 elections," Mr Geelani alleged.
Mr Geelani was one of the suspects in the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001. He was acquitted by the Supreme Court.