In the Nirbhaya rape case, the Delhi court has issued a new death warrant to execute four convicts – Vinay, Mukesh, Pawan, and Akshay. As per the new judgment, the four convicts will be hanged on March 3 at 6 AM in Tihar jail.
After the previous two death warrants, the court has issued the death warrant for the third time. The earlier warrants were not executed because of pending legal options of the convicts – Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma, and Akshay Kumar.
Being hopeful of the execution, Asha Devi, the other of 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim shared with media:
“I am not very happy as this is the third time that death warrant has been issued. We have struggled so much, so I am satisfied that death warrant has been issued finally. I hope they (convicts) will be executed on 3rd March.”
The date of execution was set by Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana at the Patiala House court. This move came after the Supreme Court granted liberty to the authorities to approach the trial court for issuance of a fresh death warrant as all legal remedies moved by the convicts were disposed of.
During the hearing, the counsel of Pawan Gupta, one of the convicts, told the court that he wanted to move a curative petition before the Supreme Court and the mercy plea against the death sentence before the President.
Additionally, Â Mukesh Singh, another convict has told the court that he does not want to be represented by advocate Vrinda Grover. The court then appointed advocate Ravi Qazi to represent Mukesh.
The court was also informed that another death row convict, Vinay Sharma, is on a hunger strike in Tihar jail. Vinay’s lawyer told the court that he was not only assaulted in jail and had head injuries, but also suffering from acute mental illness. And, hence his death sentence cannot be carried out.
The court directed the Tihar jail superintendent to take appropriate care of Vinay as per the law.
And, Akshay Kumar’s lawyer informed the court that Akshay has prepared a fresh mercy petition as the previous one prepared by his parents “was incomplete.”
It is heartbreaking to see how lawyers are exploiting our justice system to save these monsters from the death penalty. In the light of how these monsters brutally gang-raped the 23-year-old paramedical student, we are eagerly waiting for the death sentence to be executed.
