NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court on Friday, January 31, stayed the execution of Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar and agreed to review its judgment by which it had rejected the 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict’s plea to commute his death sentence to life term.

A four-judge bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam issued notice to the Centre and Delhi government on a curative petition filed by Bhullar’s wife Navneet Kaur. The bench also comprising justices R.M. Lodha, H.L. Dattu and S.J. Mukhopadhaya directed the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), where Bhullar is being treated, to file a medical report within a week on the condition of the death convict who is alleged to be suffering from a mental illness.

“We would examine whether our judgment (pertaining to commutation of death sentence to life term on the ground of delay in deciding the mercy plea) is applicable or not in this case,” the bench said, adding “we also want to know his present condition”.