Nirbhaya Case: Convicts Not To Be Hanged On January 22, Tihar Jail Seeks New Execution Date

The four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case are unlikely to be hanged on January 22. Tihar Jail authorities have asked the Delhi government to postpone the hanging of four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case, and sought a fresh date for the purpose, according to reports. It comes as the mercy petition filed by one of the convicts reached Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday. 

Earlier, a Delhi court on Thursday commented that it seemed impossible to execute the death warrant on January 22 in view of the pending mercy plea. It directed Tihar jail authorities to file a proper report by Friday about the status of scheduled execution of convicts. Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora passed the directions on Thursday after the jail authorities said they have written to the Delhi government on the issue in view of pending remedies.

A convict has to be given at least 14 days' notice before his execution after all his legal remedies are exhausted.

Mukesh Singh's Mercy Plea

The court was hearing a plea by one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, Mukesh Kumar Singh, seeking postponement of the date of his execution on the ground that his mercy petition is pending with the President.

The lawyer appearing for Mukesh told the court that there are subsequent developments that necessitate setting aside the death warrants.

Mukesh's counsel moved the trial court immediately after the Delhi High Court declined to entertain his plea to set aside the January 7 order issuing his death warrant and asked them to approach the lower court.

The four convicts - Mukesh (32), Vinay (26), Akshay (31) and Pawan (25) - were to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar jail. A Delhi court had issued their death warrants on January 7.

Mercy Plea Reaches MHA

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry received the mercy petition of Mukesh Singh from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, recommending its rejection, officials said on Thursday. The MHA will now forward the plea to the President of India with it recommendation. 

The 23-year-old paramedic student, referred to as Nirbhaya, was gang raped and brutally assaulted on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012 inside a moving bus in south Delhi by six persons before being thrown out on the road. She died on December 29, 2012 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.