Nirbhaya Gangrape-Murder Case: Supreme Court to Hear Centre's Plea Against Delhi High Court Order on Separate Execution of Convicts on March 5
On February 14, the top court had said the pendency of the Centre's appeal, seeking separate execution of convicts, would not be a hurdle for the trial court to issue a fresh date of execution, now scheduled for March 3.
New Delhi, February 25: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing to March 5 on the Centre's plea challenging the Delhi High Court judgement that four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case couldn't be executed separately.
On February 14, the top court had said the pendency of the Centre's appeal, seeking separate execution of convicts, would not be a hurdle for the trial court to issue a fresh date of execution, now scheduled for March 3. Nirbhaya Case: Ahead of Hanging On March 3, Tihar Jail Officials Ask Convicts to Give Date for Meeting Their Family for Last Time.
A Bench, headed by Justice R. Banumathi and comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha, adjourned the hearing on the appeal filed by the Delhi Police and the Delhi government for 3 p.m. on March 5.
On February 5, the Delhi High Court dismissed the Centre's plea challenging the trial court order staying execution of death-row convicts. The HC said the authorities had not taken proper steps in the process of issuing death warrants. On February 7, the trial court ordered fresh date for execution at 6 a.m. on March 3.
The four convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31) -- in the Nirbhaya case are yet to exhaust all remedies. The President has dismissed the mercy petition of three convicts.
Akshay has not yet moved the top court against rejection of his mercy plea. Pawan has not yet filed curative petition in the top court or the mercy plea. Nirbhaya Case Timeline: Chronology of Events in the 2012 Gangrape and Murder Case.
The top court had asked the convicts to file their responses on the Centre's plea. Earlier, the top court dismissed separate pleas filed by Mukesh and Vinay against the President's decision to reject their mercy pleas.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 25, 2020 07:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).