“तारिख तय है!” SC issues death penalty to four convicts of Nirbhaya case; to be hanged on Jan 22

New Delhi, January 7: The night of December 16, 2012 where the soul of the nation shook with news of the brutal gang rape and murder case in the national capital, New Delhi. Finally, the struggle for survival, the cry for justice, the fight has proved to be worth as the Supreme Court issued death warranty to the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. The execution to be held on 22nd January at 7 am. Seven years after the heinous crime finally justice has been served to the bereaved family of Nirbhaya.

 

The court also said that the convicts can use their legal remedies within 14 days. Nirbhaya's parents sought to expedite the procedure to hang the four convicts and also sought the issuance of a death warrant against them. Reportedly, during the proceedings that took place today, the prosecutor urged the court to issue death warrants to convicts. The court informed by the lawyers of convicts that they are in the process of filing a curative plea.

The 23-year-old woman was brutally gang-raped and tortured on the night of December 16, 2012. 'Nirbhaya' (braveheart), as she came to be known around the country, succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital almost two weeks later. All the six accused were arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder. One of the accused was a minor and appeared before a juvenile justice court, while another accused committed suicide in Tihar Jail.

Four of the convicts were sentenced to death by a trial court in September 2013, and the verdict confirmed by the Delhi High Court in March 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2017, which also dismissed their review petitions.

Nirbhaya's mother, Asha Devi, on Tuesday said her daughter has now got justice. "The execution of the four convicts will empower the women of the country. This decision will strengthen the trust of people in the judicial system," she said. During the hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution said there was no application pending right now before any court or President Ram Nath Kovind by any of the convicts and the review petition of all the convicts was earlier 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."