New Delhi: The fate of Dhananjoy Chatterjee, convicted of raping and killing a 14-year old Kolkata girl, has been finally sealed with President A P J Abdul Kalam rejecting his mercy petition following intense legal consultations.

The clemency petition of Chatterjee was rejected last night (Aug 3, 2004) and sent to Union Home Ministry, which will latter be handed over to the Union Law Ministry for communicating the decision to the West Bengal Government, official sources said today (Aug 4, 2004).

The President decided to reject the petition after he had discussions with legal experts including Attorney General Milon Banerji.

Chatterjee had been sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a school girl in Kolkata.

The Supreme Court had earlier this month declined to entertain Chatterjee's plea against the West Bengal Governor's order rejecting his mercy petition on the ground that the President "is seized of the matter under Article 72 of Constitution".

This is Dhananjoy's second mercy petition before the President. His first one was rejected on June 23, 1994.

Dhananjoy was sentenced to death by a Calcutta Sessions Court on August 12, 1991 for the rape and murder of a teenager and the order was confirmed by the Calcutta High Court. The Supreme Court had also upheld the conviction and sentence in January 1994.