Sarabjit files new plea against death verdict

A fresh application has been filed before the Pakistan Supreme Court seeking review of its decision to dismiss the Indian death row inmate Sarabjit Singh's petition challenging his death penalty, The Daily Times reports.

The apex court had dismissed Singh's petition last month, as his lawyer failed to appear before it.

Singh's lawyer, Rana Abdul Hameed had admitted to lapses in mounting the defence in his case. Hameed said he was not able to reach the court on time and missed the proceedings, which worked against the case and the court passed an ex-parte order.

Later, Pakistani authorities arranged a new lawyer for Singh, who is currently languishing in the Kot Lakhpat jail, is a resident of Amritsar. He was arrested near the Kasur border in Pakistan in August 1990.

Pakistan security agencies maintain that Singh admitted that he was sent to Pakistan to carry out serial bomb blasts in Lahore, Faislabad, and Kasur, and was trained by the Indian Army, and the Research and Analysis Wing.

Singh was awarded the death sentence by a Lahore anti-terrorism court in October 1991.

He challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court. However, the apex court quashed his appeal in September 2005, saying that the review petition was not filed within the time period as mentioned in the law.

In March 2006, a two-member Supreme Court bench dismissed Singh's petition against his conviction in the Lahore's Yakki Gate bomb blast in 1990.

Singh has been languishing in Pakistan jails for the last 28 years, as Pakistan has not set him free despite continuous efforts by Indian diplomatic channels.