New Delhi, January 29: Akshay Singh, one of the convicts in Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case, moved a curative plea before the Supreme Court to challenge his execution, reports said on Wednesday. The curative petition, a last-minute attempt to commute his death penalty, comes two days before the scheduled hanging. Nirbhaya Case: Convict Mukesh Singh Was 'Sexually Assaulted' in Tihar Jail, Alleges Lawyer in Supreme Court.

As per the death warrant issued by the Patiala House Court, Akshay, along with the three co-convicts - Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma - are set to be hanged at 6 am on February 1. Akshay is the second convict to file the curative plea, after Mukesh -- whose petition was rejected by the top court earlier this month.

Mukesh's counsel had on Saturday moved a fresh plea before the apex court, alleging irregularities in the rejection of his mercy plea by President Ram Nath Kovind. During the hearing on the plea on Monday, the convict's lawyer alleged that Mukesh was sexually assaulted inside the Tihar Jail premises.

"You have to apply your mind at each and every step. You are playing with somebody's life(on powers conferred to the President with regard to mercy plea). I (Mukesh) was beaten mercilessly after coming to jail. He (convict Mukesh) was also sexually assaulted in Tihar Jail," advocate Anjana Prakash argued before the bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde.

The top court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict in the plea filed by Mukesh later today. The court is also expected to initiate hearing in Akshay's petition, with only two days left for the scheduled execution. The two other convicts - Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma - are yet to file their curative petitions and the mercy pleas before the President.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 29, 2020 08:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).