Nirbhaya case: Tihar jail issues notice to convict, sets 7-day deadline to file mercy plea

The Tihar jail has issued a notice to Akshay Singh, one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case pertaining to the filing of the mercy petition. Republic TV has accessed the notice dated December 18, which explains that all his other legal remedies have been exhausted. Maintaining that the mercy plea had to be filed within 7 days of receiving the notice, it has been emphasised that the jail administration would initiate legal proceedings as per law in case Singh chose not to exercise this final option. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna dismissed Singh’s review petition.  

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

SC finds no merit in the plea

In his review plea, the convict made some preposterous remarks such as pointing out the air quality of Delhi. Moreover, he tried to ridicule the crime that led to her death. The apex court heard the arguments of AP Singh, the counsel for the accused and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who argued for the Delhi police. The bench stated that all the aspects of the case had already been dealt with by the trial court, High Court and the SC. The apex court contended that there was no merit in the plea.

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 death sentence 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. In July 2018, the SC rejected the review pleas filed by the three convicts for a re-examination of its 2017 judgment.

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