The Supreme Court on Friday stayed till October 29 the execution of Nithari killing cases convict Surinder Koli while agreeing to hear his review petition for reconsidering the death penalty. A three-judge bench led by Justice H L Dattu will take up Koli's petition on October 28 in open court and his lawyer will be granted a maximum outer limit of 30 minutes to argue. On Monday, he was given a fresh lease of life with the court staying his execution for a week, so as to enable him make a fresh appeal against capital punishment. In view of a recent Constitution bench judgement, Koli is entitled for an open-court hearing of his review petition. His review petition as well as a plea to stay his execution was rejected by judges in a in-chamber hearing on July 24. The trial court had on September 2 issued a death warrant for him, following rejection of his mercy petition by the President.
