2000 Red Fort attack convict will hang; SC rejects LeT terrorist Ashfaq's review plea

Supreme Court has rejected the review plea filed by a Lahkar-e-Tayiba linked terrorist Ashfaq, who is facing the death penalty for his role in the 2000 Red Fort attack.

Dismissing the review, the Supreme Court says there is enough other evidence against Ashfaq to uphold his conviction and sentence in the case.

Three people, including two Rajputana Rifles personnel, were killed in the terrorist attack on Red Fort on December 22, 2000. 

Ashfaq, who was arrested by the Delhi Police after the attack, was sentenced to death while his four accomplices, including his wife who aided and abetted the conspirators, were handed seven-year terms.

The trial court awarded the Pakistani national the death sentence on October 31, 2005. The high court rejected his appeal against the verdict on September 13, 2007. Ashfaq then approached the Supreme Court but got no relief. The apex court upheld his conviction on August 10, 2011, and then rejected his review petition on August 28, 2011. 

In April 2014, the Supreme Court stayed Ashfaq's execution. The top court agreed to re-hear his review petition in 2016 that cited a Constitution bench ruling that review petitions in death penalty cases have to be heard in open court.'

That review petition was dismissed on Thursday by a bench of Chief Justice UU Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi.

Developing story

• 2000 Red Fort attack
• Ashfaq
• Lashkar-e-Tayiba
• LeT terrorist
• Supreme Court
• review petition