Nirbhaya convict Akshay's wife files for divorce as he files 2nd mercy plea before hanging

In the wake of the looming execution of the four Nirbhaya convicts on March 20, the wife of the convict Akshay Thakur on Wednesday has filed for divorce petition before court in Bihar's Aurangabad district. She has claimed that she doesn't wish to live with the label of being "a rapist's widow". Her 'husband', on the other hand, has filed a second mercy petition - seeking commutation of his death sentence. All four rapists have also moved the Patiala House Court - seeking a stay on the execution.

Execution looming, Nirbhaya convicts' families appeal- 'hanging a sin of bramha-hatya'

Nirbhaya rapist's wife seeks divorce

Now, Nirbhaya convicts' lawyer asks 'Why hang amid Coronavirus?'; cites 'pollution' plea

Convicts' families stage protest

On March 2, the convicts' families have staged a protest calling for the commutation of death sentence claiming 'Bramha-hatya will attract sin'. Visuals show sisters, mothers and other male members of the convicts' family holding posters ranging - from slamming Kejriwal government, marriage woes, the sin of killing a brahman and inhumanity of death penalty. The convicts' lawyer - AP Singh, recently argued why must the rapists be hanged amid the pandemic Coronavirus. 

Hangman reaches Tihar Jail to conduct dummy hanging ahead of Nirbhaya convicts' execution

Nirbhaya court proceedings

The mercy petitions and curative petitions of all four convicts -Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma, and Akshay Kumar and Pawan Gupta have already been dismissed by the President and Supreme Court respectively. The Patiala House Court had ordered that the convicts be hanged on March 20 at 5:30 AM after issuing fresh death warrants which is the fourth such date after the previous three dates- January 17, January 31 and March 3 were deferred by petitions filed by the convicts. The convicts are still employing several delay tactics - petitioning for review of the rejection of mercy amid new plea, action against former advocate for the restoration of his legal remedies, stay on execution, criminal conspiracy, moving the International Court of Justice etc.

Nirbhaya case: Convict Pawan Gupta files curative plea in SC again days after moving ICJ

What is the Nirbhaya case?

23-year-old paramedic student Nirbhaya was gang-raped inside a running bus by six persons on December 16, 2012, in Delhi. The victim was severely assaulted and thrown out on the road along with her male friend and succumbed to injuries a few days later. Out of the six convicts, one committed suicide in prison, while another, a juvenile, served maximum punishment of three years in a reform home and was set free in 2015. The remaining four rapists were convicted and handed the death penalty by a trial court in 2013, confirmed by the Delhi High Court in March 2014. The Supreme Court upheld the Delhi High Court's verdict in 2017.