Nirbhaya Rape-Murder Convicts Issued Death Warrant: Here's Timeline Of Sensational Case

A Delhi Court on Monday issued death warrants against four death row convicts in the sensational 2012 Nirbhaya Gangrape and murder case. Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora said he will pronounced the order.

During the hearing, the prosecution said there was no application pending before any court or the President right now by any of the convicts and the review petition of all the convicts was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

While urging the court to issue the death warrants, the prosecution said, "In between issuance and execution of death warrants of the convicts want to file curative petitions they can do so."

The counsel for two of the convicts -- Mukesh and Vinay -- said they were in process of filing curative petition in the apex court.

Here’s the timeline of the Nirbhaya case

December 16, 2012: Paramedical student gangraped and brutally assaulted by six men in a private bus and thrown out of the moving vehicle along with her male friend. The victims admitted to Safdarjung Hospital.

December 17: Widespread protests erupt demanding stringent action against the accused.

Police identify four accused - bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, besides Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta.

December 18: Ram Singh and three others arrested.

December 20: Victim's friend testifies.

December 21: Delinquent juvenile nabbed from Anand Vihar bus terminal in Delhi. Victim's friend identifies Mukesh as one of the culprits. Police conduct raids in Haryana and Bihar to nab the sixth accused, Akshay Thakur.

December 21-22: Thakur arrested in Aurangabad district of Bihar and brought to Delhi. Victim records statement before the SDM in hospital.

December 23: Protesters defy prohibitory orders, take to the streets. Delhi Police Constable Subhash Tomar, on duty to control protests, rushed to hospital with serious injuries.

December 25: Girl's condition declared critical. Constable Tomar succumbs to injuries.

December 26: Following a cardiac arrest, victim flown to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital by the government.

December 29: Victim succumbs to injuries and other medical conditions at 2:15 A.M. Police add murder charge in the FIR.

January 2, 2013: Then Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir inaugurates fast track court (FTC) for speedy trial in sexual offence cases.

January 3: Police file charge sheet against five adults accused of murder, gang rape, attempt to murder, kidnapping, unnatural offences and dacoity etc.

January 5: Court takes cognisance of the charge sheet.

January 7: Court orders in-camera proceedings.

January 17: FTC starts proceedings against the five adult accused.

January 28: Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) says minority of juvenile accused is proved.

January 2: FTC frames charges against five adult accused.

January 28: JJB frames charges against the minor.

March 11: Ram Singh commits suicide in Tihar Jail.

March 22: Delhi HC allows national media to report trial court's proceedings.

July 5: Inquiry (trial) in JJB against the juvenile in concludes. JJB reserves verdict for July 11.

July 8: FTC completes recording of testimonies of prosecution witnesses.

July 11: JJB holds minor also guilty of illegally confining and robbing a carpenter on December 16, night before allegedly taking part in the gang rape. Delhi High Court allows three international news agencies to cover the trial in the case.

August 22: FTC begins hearing final arguments in trial against four adult accused.

August 31: JJB convicts the minor for gang rape and murder and awards three-year term at probation home.

September 3: FTC concludes trial. Reserves verdict.

September 10: Court convicts Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan of 13 offences including gang rape, unnatural offence and murder of the girl and attempt to murder her male friend.

September 13: Court awards death penalty to all 4 convicts.

September 23: HC begins hearing the convicts' death sentence reference sent to it by the trial court.

January 3, 2014: HC reserves verdict on convicts' appeals.

March 13: HC upholds death penalty to the 4 convicts.

March 15: SC stays execution of 2 convicts, Mukesh and Pawan, after they file appeals. Later stays execution of other convicts also.

April 15: SC directs police to produce the dying declaration of the victim.

February 3, 2017: SC says it would hear afresh the aspect of awarding death penalty to the convicts.

March 27: SC reserves verdict on their appeals.

May 5: SC upholds death penalty to four convicts, says the case falls under the category of 'rarest of rare' and the offence created "tsunami of shock".

November 8: Mukesh, one of the four death row convicts in the case, moves SC seeking review of its verdict upholding the capital punishment awarded to him.

December 12: Delhi Police opposes Mukesh's plea in SC.

December 15: Convicts Vinay Sharma and Pawan Kumar Gupta move SC for review of its verdict.

May 4, 2018: SC reserves order on review plea by two condemned convicts--Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta.

July 9: SC dismisses review pleas of three convicts.

December 10, 2019: Akshay moves plea in SC seeking review of his death penalty.

December 18: SC dismisses his review plea.

Delhi court directs Tihar authorities to issue notice to convicts to avail their remaining legal remedies.

January 7, 2020: A Delhi court issued death warrants against four convicts --  Mukesh (30), Pawan Gupta (23), Vinay Sharma (24), Ram Singh (22), Akshay Kumar Singh (27). They will be hanged on January 22 at 7 am. 

(With PTI inputs)