A recent photo of 1993 blasts convict Yakub Memon
Yakub Memon, the only person to be sentenced to death for a series of bombings in Mumbai in 1993, is likely to be hanged early on Thursday morning. President Pranab Mukherjee has rejected his final plea for mercy, say sources.
The Maharashtra government is preparing for Yakub's hanging at Nagpur Central Jail tomorrow, which happens to be his 54th birthday.
Sources say Yakub will be woken up at 3 am, and after a bath and health check-up, he will be taken to the hanging yard.
Since his execution date was decided, there have been regular medical assessments, say sources.
Yakub's brother Suleiman and cousin Usman are at the Nagpur jail to meet him.
Responding to media questions on their way to the jail from a hotel in Nagpur, Suleiman said: "I have full faith in the judiciary. I have full faith in almighty. Please leave me alone."
The Supreme Court today refused to stop his hanging, rejecting his argument that correct procedure was not followed.
Yakub was found guilty in 2007 of helping plan and finance the deadly blasts in which 257 people were killed. His brother Tiger Memon, the main accused along with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, has been missing since 1993.
Of the 11 sentenced to death for the terror attack, Yakub was the only convict not granted mercy.