UP Governor rejects mercy plea of Shabnam, who along with her lover who killed seven members of family, including a 10-month-old child

UP Governor Ram Naik has reportedly rejected the mercy petition of Shabnam, who along with her lover Saleem, had been convicted for killing seven members of Shabnam’s family including a 10-month-old baby in 2008.

Shabnam and Saleem are lodged in Moradabad and Agra jails respectively. Shabnam had petitioned the Governor for mercy, owing to the future of her 6 year old son, Taj Mohammad. In August, the boy was handed over to Shabnam’s friend Usman Saifi for foster care.

The couple was in love and wanted to marry; however, as the girl’s family was opposed to the same, the couple had drugged the entire family and hacked them to death.

On May 15, the Supreme Court had upheld the death sentence awarded to the couple. Maintaining the judgment awarded by the Trial Court which was confirmed by the Allahabad High Court, the three judge Bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu and Justices S.A. Bobde and Arun Mishra confirmed the sentence. Read the LiveLaw story here.

The Sessions Court of Amroha then issued the death warrants within a week, without waiting for mandatory 30 days to allow the convicts to avail judicial remedy of filing petitions for a review of the 15 May judgment.

Following this, the Supreme Court had quashed the death warrants issued in undue haste, observing that death convicts cannot be denied Fundamental Right to Life. You may read the LiveLaw story here.