Nirbhaya case: Court to pronounce order on issuing death warrants of convicts at 3.30 pm

The Patiala House Court on Tuesday will pronounce its order on the plea of the parents of Nirbhaya seeking the issuance of death warrants for the convicts, at 3.30 pm. This comes weeks after the court had adjourned the hearing in the matter, giving time to the rapists of Nirbhaya to exercise their remaining legal remedies. The court reserved its order after hearing the arguments from the counsels of all the parties in the case.  

Read: Nirbhaya Case: Next Hearing On Jan 7, Time Granted To Convicts For Legal Remedies

Arguments on both sides 

Initially, the advocate for one of the accused- Mukesh stated that he could not file his vakalatnama in time because of his ill-health. Thereafter, Vrinda Grover, the amicus curiae in the case informed the court that the process for filing curative petitions for the convicts was underway. Later, the Public Prosecutor argued that no plea of any convict was pending with either the President or any court in the country. Moreover, he contended that the issuance of death warrants did not imply that the convicts would be immediately hanged. He assured that 14 days’ time would be provided to the convicts to file review petitions. 

Read: Nirbhaya Case: Tihar Jail Issues Notice To Convict, Sets 7-day Deadline To File Mercy Plea

Thereafter, both the Public Prosecutor and the Amicus Curiae observed that the curative petition was not an option for the convicts. The judge also expressed his dismay at the delaying tactics of the counsel of Nirbhaya’s rapists. He noted that the legal remedies should be exercised within a time limit.  

Read: Supreme Court Seeks Response Of Centre, States/UTs On Implementation Of Laws Against Rape

The Nirbhaya case 

A 23-year-old paramedic student Nirbhaya was gang-raped inside a running bus by six persons on December 16 in 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. 

Read: Supreme Court Dismisses Review Plea Of Convict In Nirbhaya Rape And Murder Case