INDIA. LAW MINISTRY OPPOSES CLEMENCY FOR KASHMIRI ON DEATH ROW

India's Law Ministry said there was no "compelling reason" to stop the hanging of Mohammed Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri Muslim found guilty plotting a 2001 attack on parliament. The ministry's advice came after President Abdul Kalam sought the opinions of the law and home departments ahead of deciding on a mercy petition filed by the family of Guru.
The Law Ministry said there was "no compelling reason or circumstance" or strong "legal ground" to commute Guru's death sentence under the constitution, the Indian Express newspaper said.
"There is no substantial legal point involved in the case, except the argument that there was no direct evidence against" Guru, the report quoted unnamed Law Ministry sources as saying.
"But circumstantial evidence was against him and proper judicial process was followed, on the basis of which the trial court awarded capital punishment, which has been later confirmed and upheld by the Supreme Court," the sources said.
The Law Ministry's views were forwarded to the Home Ministry, which would also send its views to Kalam, the report said.