New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Feb 20, 2004) stayed the execution of Mohd Afzal, convicted in the Parliament attack case.

It also issued notice to Delhi Government on his petition challenging the conviction and sentence.

A bench comprising Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice H K Sema issued the notice on Afzal's petition and tagged it along with the petitions filed by Delhi Government and another condemned prisoner Shaukat Hussain Guru. The court adjourned hearing on all the matters by four weeks.

With this the execution of both the condemned prisoners in Parliament attack case are stayed till the disposal of the appeal. The court had on January 19 stayed the execution of Shaukat Hussain Guru on his petition challenging his conviction.

The court on January 19 had issued notices to Delhi University lecturer S A R Geelani and Afsan Guru on a petition filed by Delhi Police challenging the High Court order acquitting them of all charges in the case. Police in its appeal said the High Court had erred in acquitting Geelani who was sentenced to death by the trial court for his role in the conspiracy by militants to storm the symbol of Indian democracy.

The High Court on October 29 had acquitted two of the Parliament attack case convicts - Geelani and Afsan, wife of condemned prisoner Shaukat, by absolving them of all charges but confirmed the death sentence imposed by the lower court on alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed militants Afzal and Guru.