Mercy plea of Nirbhaya's rapist rejected by President Kovind
On Friday, President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the mercy petition filed by one of the four convicts who raped Nirbhaya in 2012. Convict Mukesh Singh, who is on a death row, along with three others, filed a plea against his execution, scheduled for January 22. The remaining three — Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma, and Akshay Kumar Singh — didn't approach the President.
Background: Six raped Nirbhaya, she succumbed to injuries later
The aforementioned men, along with prime accused Ram Singh and a juvenile, raped 23-year-old Nirbhaya on December 16, 2012. They inserted iron rods into her private parts, and the physiotherapy intern died of her injuries at a Singapore hospital thirteen days later. The brutal rape shook India with thousands of citizens demanding capital punishment. The four adult convicts were sentenced to death in 2013.
Ram Singh committed suicide, juvenile was sent to correction home
Ram Singh, who was the driver of the bus which Nirbhaya boarded, took his life inside the jail before the sentencing. And the juvenile, who was just a couple of days short of turning 18, was sent to a correction home for three years.
Court took years to issue black warrant against convicts
Despite the convicts being sentenced to death in 2013, the execution process didn't make any headway. They approached Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, both of whom upheld the punishment. Last October, Tihar jail authorities told them they could either file mercy pleas or be hanged. Earlier this month, Patiala House Court issued black warrant and fixed coming Wednesday as execution's date.
Mukesh knocked on SC's doors, then approached President Kovind
Making a last-ditch effort to save themselves, Mukesh and Vinay filed curative pleas at SC but drew blank there. Mukesh then approached President Kovind, only to be let down again. His mercy plea may have been rejected but the execution might not happen on January 22. As per rules, a death row convict is hanged 14 days after the President rejects his mercy plea.
Union Home Ministry suggested President Kovind to reject plea
Earlier in the day, Union Home Ministry forwarded Mukesh's mercy plea, suggesting President Kovind to reject it. The long-drawn legal battle in one of the most brutal cases of Indian history has obviously taken a toll on Nirbhaya's mother, Asha Devi. This morning, a teary-eyed Asha said her daughter's death was being exploited for political gains and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do something.
