Nirbhaya Rape case: Delhi Court seeks report from Tihar in convicts' plea to stay February 1 execution

An Additional Sessions Court at Patiala House Complex today sought a report from the Tihar Jail Superintendent in relation to the plea by the convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case to stay their execution.

As per the death warrant, the convicts are slated to be hanged on February 1 at 6 am.

The stay application has been filed in view of the pendency of convict Vinay's mercy petition before the President. The application also states that convicts Akshay and Pawan are also pursuing legal remedies available to them.

Counsel for the convicts, AP Singh thus sought stay of the execution sine die.

Prosecutor Irfan Ahmed opposed the application of stay. He informed the Court that in December last year, a seven days notice was given to convicts for availing their legal remedies. Filing a mercy petition after 40-42 days is a mockery of justice, he asserted.

ASJ Ajay Kumar Jain has now directed the Tihar Jail Superintendent to file its report in connection with the plea by 10 am tomorrow.

On January 7, 2020, the Court had issued death warrant against the four convicts, namely Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay and Akshay for January 22, 2020. A second death warrant was issued by the Court on January 17 after Mukesh and Vinay's mercy petition was rejected by the President of India. Earlier today, Akshay's curative petition was also dismissed by the Supreme Court.