The Supreme Court today upheld the death sentence of the four accused in Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case. Rejecting the plea of convict Akshay Kumar Singh seeking review of its 2017 judgement, a three-judge bench headed by Justice R Banumathi said they find no ground for review of the verdict.
The bench said the contentions raised by the convict were already considered by the top court in the main judgement.
Earlier, opposing the review plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that the convict does not deserve any leniency. He said there are certain crimes where humanity cries and this case is one of them. Mr Mehta added that convicts in the case are making concerted efforts to delay inevitable, and the law must take its own course soon.
Meanwhile, the convict’s lawyer sought three weeks’ time to file a mercy petition before the President. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta reminded the court that one week’s time is prescribed under the law for filing such a petition before the President.
The 23-year-old paramedic student was brutally assaulted on a moving bus in south Delhi on 16th December 2012. She died on 29th December at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
The incident was widely condemned, both in India and abroad. One of the six accused in the case, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail.
A juvenile, who was among the accused, was convicted by a Juvenile Justice Board and was released from a reformation home after serving a three-year term.
The rest of the accused went on trial in a fast-track court and were found guilty and sentenced to death.
The Supreme Court in its 2017 verdict had upheld the capital punishment awarded to them by the Delhi High Court and the trial court in the case.
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