Dec 16 rapists to hang: SC
DEATH ROW Rejects review plea of three convicts, says no new factors have emerged
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed petitions filed by three convicts in the December 16, 2012 gang rape and murder case seeking review of its May judgement that upheld the death penalty awarded to them.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said the petitions did not disclose any grounds for invoking its review jurisdiction, paving way for the hanging of Mukesh, Vinay Sharma and Pawan. Review petition of the fifth convict, Akshay, is yet to be heard.
“The submission having been noted, considered and dealt with by this court in the judgment (of May), the petitioners cannot be allowed to reagitate the same issue again and again,” the bench declared.
Justices R Bhanumathi and Ashok Bhushan were other members of the bench. CJI Misra and Justice Bhanumathi had authored the main verdict. As per an earlier SC ruling, review petitions pertaining to death sentence are heard in open by a three-judge bench. Monday’s judgement was authored by Justice Bhushan.
Reading out the verdict, Justice Bhushan said review jurisdiction could be exercised only if there were glaring omissions or patent mistakes leading to miscarriage of justice.
The victim’s parents were present in the court. After the judgement the mother said: “This decision reaffirms our trust in the court.”
“Our struggle will continue to secure justice for our daughters of our society,” she later told media persons outside the court.
After this, the convicts have the option to file a curative petition before the top court. Such pleas are dealt by judges in chamber and decided through circulation, without any hearing. If that too is rejected, the convicts can file a mercy plea to the President.
The Supreme Court had on May 5, 2017, upheld a Delhi high court verdict confirming the death penalty awarded by the trial court to Mukesh Kumar (29), Pawan Kumar (22), Vinay Sharma (23) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) for raping a 23-year-old para-medical student inside a moving bus in South Delhi on December 16, 2012 which dead to her subsequent death.
The girl was returning home with her male friend after watching a movie, when she was assaulted by six persons, including a juvenile. December 16, 2012 A 23-year-old paramedic student and her boyfriend take a private bus home after watching a movie in Saket. The woman is brutally raped and assaulted, and both are thrown out from the bus by six men. They are admitted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.
December 17 Delhi Police identify four of the culprits -- bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta. December 18 The four are arrested. Street protests rock Delhi. December 21 Accused juvenile nabbed. Police conduct raids in Haryana and Bihar to nab sixth accused, Akshay Thakur.
December 22 Akshay Thakur is arrested in Bihar and brought to Delhi. Victim records her statement before the SDM in hospital. December 29 Victim dies in Singapore due to organ failure. January 17, 2013 Fast track court starts proceedings against five adult accused.
January 28 Juvenile Justice Board rules that sixth accused is a minor. March 11 Ram Singh, the bus driver, commits suicide in his cell in Tihar jail.
August 31 JJB convicts the juvenile for gangrape and murder and awards three years term at a probation home.
NEWDELHI:
September 10 Court convicts Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan September 13 Fast track court awards death to all four convicts. March 13, 2014 The Delhi High Court upholds the death sentences awarded to the four convicts. December 18, 2015 Delhi High Court refuses to stay the release of the juvenile. He walks out of a correction home after spending three years. August 2016 Vinay Sharma tries to commit suicide in Tihar Jail. May 5 SC upholds death penalty of four accused - Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh.
July 9, 2018 SC rejects a review plea by three of the four convicts seeking reduction of their death sentence to a life term