Published 17:57 IST, January 7th 2020
Counsel of Nirbhaya convicts to file curative petition, makes shameful claim about hanging
AP Singh, the counsel for the convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case revealed that he would file a curative petition in the Supreme Court very soon.
AP Singh, the counsel for the convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case revealed his next move after the Patiala House Court’s verdict on Tuesday. He stated that a curative petition would be filed as soon as the jail authorities supplied the requisite documents. Moreover, he also made a shameful claim that hanging was reserved for “only poor people”. Citing Mahatma Gandhi, he exuded confidence that the Supreme Court would hear the plea of the convicts to stay the death sentence.
AP Singh remarked, “The senior-most judge of the Supreme Court will hear the curative petition after it is filed in the court. And the process to file the curative petition is underway. We will file the curative petition as soon as we get the documents in 1 to 2 days. The court has given us time to file it.”
He added,” The hanging is only reserved for poor people in this country. A former Chief Justice had also said this. Mahatma Gandhi had opposed the death penalty. I am hopeful that the Supreme Court will hear our petition on staying the death sentence.”
Death warrants issued
Earlier in the day, the Patiala House Court issued the death warrant for the execution of the 4 convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case. They will be hanged till death on January 22 at 7 am. Until then, the convicts can exercise the remaining legal remedies. All the convicts were produced before the court via video-conferencing.
The Nirbhaya rape and murder case
A 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.
(With ANI inputs)
Updated 17:57 IST, January 7th 2020