Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao has just now rejected Yakub Memon's mercy petition: Ujjwal Nikam, Special Public Prosecutor.


On Tuesday, after an hour-long argument on Yakub's petition seeking stay of execution, the two judges on the bench - Justices AR Dave and Kurian Joseph - returned a split verdict. Justice Dave dismissed Yakub's petition while Justice Joseph stayed the execution, leaving Yakub dangling between hope and despair.


The bench then referred the matter to the Chief Justice of India for a fresh hearing by an umpire bench. Justice Joseph requested Justice Dave that the bench should stay the execution till further orders by the new bench, but Justice Dave said, "I will not be a party to such an order."

Chief Justice H L Dattu had entrusted the matter to a bench of Justices Dipak Misra, P C Pant and Amitava Roy.


And that is the order you are reading now.


End of the road for Memon, it seems.