New Delhi, January 31: A Delhi Court on Friday stayed the execution of 2012 Delhi gang-rape case convicts till further notice. The verdict was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana at Delhi's Patiala court.  Four convicts in Nirbhaya Case— Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta, Mukesh Singh, and Vinay Kumar Sharma were earlier scheduled to be hanged on Saturday, February 1. Nirbhaya Case: Supreme Court Dismisses Review Plea By Pawan Kumar Gupta Claiming That He Was Minor.

Convicts lawyer AP Singh cited rule 836 of prison manual which says in a case where more than one person has been rewarded death penalty, the execution cannot take place till all convicts have exhausted all legal options. In their petition, Singh urged the court to adjourn hanging "sine die" as Vinay's mercy plea was pending before the president.

Reacting to the development, Asha Devi, mother of 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim, said that the Convicts lawyer had challenged her saying that they will never be executed.

"The lawyer of the convicts, AP Singh has challenged me saying that the convicts will never be executed. I will continue my fight. The government will have to execute the convicts," Asha Devi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

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Earlier today, Supreme Court dismissed Pawan Kumar Gupta, one of the four death row convicts in the Delhi 2012 gang-rape and murder case, petition claiming that he was a juvenile when the offence took place.

Hangman Pawan had also arrived at Delhi's Tihar Jail on Thursday, where four convicts were scheduled to be hanged together.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 31, 2020 05:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).