Dec 16 gangrape: SC asks for report on prison conduct of death row convicts

The Supreme Court on Monday asked Delhi's Tihar Jail superintendent to file a report regarding the conduct of the four death row convicts of the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder case in prison.

"In our considered opinion, the superintendent of jail should have filed the report with regard to the conduct of theaccused persons since they are in custody for almost four years. That would have thrown light on their conduct.

"Let the report with regard to their conduct be filed by the Superintendent of Jail in a sealed cover in the Court on the next date of hearing," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said.

The bench, also comprising Justices R Banumathi and AshokBhushan, noted that the counsel representing the four convicts-- Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Kumar Singh -- have filed their affidavits detailing the mitigating circumstances in their favour.

However, senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, who has been appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court in the case, pointed out that the affidavit filed by Mukesh does not cover many aspects like socio-economic background, criminal antecedents, family particulars, personal habits, education, vocational skills, health and his conduct in the prison.

The counsel representing Mukesh told the bench that he would file an affidavit within a week detailing these aspects. One of the defence counsel told the apex court that thejail superintendent was asked to file a report with regard to the conduct of these convicts while they were in custody, but it has not been filed by him.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for thestate, contended that he has filed the affidavit and it contained the report of the jail superintendent.

The bench has listed the matter for further hearing on March 20 and asked the jail superintendent to file the reportbefore it on that day. The apex court had on February 3 said it would hear afresh the aspect of awarding death penalty to the four convicts in the case.