Nirbhaya case: Court asks for report on pendency of mercy plea

New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Thursday directed the Tihar Jail authorities to submit a report regarding the pendency of the mercy petition of one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora asked the jail authorities to submit a report under Section 840 of the Delhi Prison Rules stating the action taken regarding the mercy petition of convict Mukesh and regarding the postponement of the date of execution.

However, the judge refused to change the date of execution as of now.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had refused to interfere with the death warrant issued against the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

One of the convicts Mukesh moved the Patiala House Court and filed an application before it, appraising the court regarding the pendency of the mercy petition before the President of India.

By this application moved through his counsel Vrinda Grover, the petitioner had sought postponement of the execution date.

The application was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora who issued notice to Nirbhaya’s parents and the state.

The 23-year-old victim was brutally gang raped and tortured on December 16, 2012, which later led to her death. All the six accused were arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder. One of the accused was a minor and appeared before a juvenile justice court, while another accused committed suicide in Tihar Jail.

Four of the convicts were sentenced to death by a trial court in September 2013, and the verdict was confirmed by the Delhi High Court in March 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2017, which also dismissed their review petitions.

Published on: Jan 16, 2020 at 17:05 IST

IANS