Dec 16 rape: Accused consider mercy plea

EVER SINCE the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for the four convicts in the December 16, 2012, gangrape case, they have “stopped working in prison”, sources told The Indian Express.

According to sources, the four are now pinning their hopes on the President commuting their death sentence to life imprisonment. Sources also said the convicts have been “discussing filing a mercy petition before the President”.

On Friday, when the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s decision to award death to the convicts, all four “were glued to the television sets”, sources said.

“Since then, they have been depressed and have stopped working,” said a source. While three convicts — Akhay Thakur, Pawan Kumar and Mukesh Kumar — are lodged in Tihar’s jail number 2, Vinay Sharma is in jail number 7.

Sources told The Indian Express that Thakur used to work in the flour mill, Pawan in the store canteen and Mukesh as a housekeeper. Vinay, sources said, is pursuing his graduation and does not work.

“Earlier, they would interact with their fellow inmates and jail staff and would do daily work, but all that has stopped now,” said a source. Sources said that every convict can work in manufacturing units in Tihar, for which he gets Rs 300 per day.

Their lawyer, AP Singh, said they will soon file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s decision. They can approach the President only if the review petition is rejected.

Sources said that initially, fearing a threat to the lives of all four, they were kept in a separate cell. Later, however, they were allowed to mingle with the other inmates.

Thakur had allegedly put in several requests to allow him to work in the jail but due to the threat to his life, he was not allowed to work with other inmates, said sources. Sources also said the officials keep changing their jails to ensure safety.

After Ram Singh, the prime accused in the case, committed suicide, the others were shocked, said sources. They, however, never talk about the juvenile convict, sources said.