Nirbhaya Case: President refuses to consider mercy petition filed by convicts, hanging tomorrow

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday turned down the second mercy plea filed by Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case convicts Pawan Gupta and Akshay Thakur, thereby paving the way for their execution on Friday.

The four convicts will be hanged at 5:30 am tomorrow, according to the death warrant issued ny a Delhi court.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had rejected the curative plea filed by Gupta against a 20th January verdict of the apex court which had turned down his claim of juvenility.

The six-judge bench, led by Justice NV Ramana, dismissed Gupta’s petition as well as his request for oral hearing of the plea.

A curative plea is the last judicial recourse available to a litigant for redressal of grievances. It is a remedy set up by the top court through its judgement in the Rupa Asok Hurra vs Asjok Hurra case and is decided by the judge in chamber.

The Supreme Court bench led by justice R Banumathi, on 20th January rejected Gupta’s plea in which he had claimed that he was a juvinile at the time of offence in December 2012. a review against the 20th January judgement wass rejected on 31st January.

Earlier, the Delhi court had dismissed his claim on 19th December 2019 following which he moved the top court in appeal.

In the meantime, officials in Delhi’s Tihar jail have started the final preparation as less than 16 hours are left for the execution of these convicts, all four convicts will be hanged simultaneously inside jail number three.

The four convicts are currently languishing in jail number 3 next to the hanging courtyard. Each of them are lodged separately and guarded by at least 2-3 jail wardens who watch their movements at all times.

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