2012 Chhawla rape and murder: Supreme Court refuses to urgently list review petition against acquittal of 3 death row convicts

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday refused to urgently list review petition against its order acquitting 3 death row convicts in 2012 Chhawla rape case..The plea was mentioned today before the bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice PS Narasimha for urgent listing.During the mentioning today, the counsel for petitioner said that it is an extremely important case which has shaken the public confidence and, therefore, needs to be listed urgently.The bench refused to list it urgently but said that it will decide on listing after taking a look at the review plea.Last month, top court had acquitted three death row convicts in the 2012 gang rape and murder that took place in Delhi's Dwarka, while noting that courts cannot punish accused on the basis of suspicion. .A Bench of Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit and Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi had reasoned that the trial court had remained a 'passive umpire' to improper examination of prosecution witnesses and forensic evidence that the police had relied on.The judges had admitted that the crime was heinous, but stated that it was left with no alternative but to acquit the accused, as it cannot be influenced by outside moral pressures..Subsequently, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena had approved the filing of a review petition against the judgment.He has also approved the appointment of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to represent the Union before the Supreme Court. .By way of background, on the night of February 9, 2012, the police had received information that the victim was kidnapped and forcibly put inside a red-coloured Tata Indica at Chhawla.A first information report (FIR) was registered on the basis of a complaint by the kidnapped girl's friend, who was with her at the time. Her body was later found in the fields of Rodai village. The police subsequently apprehended the three accused after one of them was found looking perplexed and allegedly driving the car in question.A trial court had in February 2014 convicted them for the offences of gang-rape, murder and causing disappearance of evidence. They were given the death penalty.The Delhi High Court later that year had dismissed the appeals of the three accused, leading to an appeal before the top court.