Centre forwards Nirbhaya rape convict's mercy petition to President, recommends rejection

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sent the mercy petition file of 2012 gang-rape convict in Nirbhaya case Vinay Sharma to President Ramnath Kovind.

The Home Ministry has recommended the President to reject the mercy petition filed by convict Vinay Sharma. The recommendation to reject the petition was sent to the Home Ministry by the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal. 

Earlier today, Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi said she wanted the 'justice system' to hang the perpetrators to death.

"I have been running from pillar to post for the last 7 years. I appeal to the justice system of this country and the government, that Nirbhaya’s culprits must be hanged to death, at the earliest,” she was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Nirbhaya's parents have also moved the President's office seeking rejection of the mercy petition. In a letter to the President, the parents stated that the mercy petition is a deliberate attempt to avoid the execution of the death sentence and hamper the dissemination of justice. 

 The Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government on Sunday recommended the rejection of mercy petition of one of the convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape and murder case.

In a letter written to the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal, the government said that it strongly recommends rejection of the mercy plea of Sharma.

"It is the fittest case to reject the mercy petition, keeping in view the heinous and gravest crime of extreme brutality committed by the applicant," the letter read.

Delhi's Home Minister, Satyendar Jain also noted that "this is the most heinous crime of extreme brutality committed by the applicant. This is the case where exemplary punishment should be given to deter others from committing such atrocious crimes. There is no merit in the mercy petition and is strongly recommended for rejection."

Last year, Nirbhaya's parents had approached the court to expedite the process to hang all four convicts in the case. The matter was adjourned multiple times as the judges were transferred.

Nirbhaya, a 23-year-old paramedic, was brutally gang-raped on December 16, 2012, inside a running bus by six people in Delhi. The shocking incident left the nation stunned and forced the government to tighten the rape laws.

The four rapists were given death sentence by the trial court, which was later upheld by the High court and the Supreme Court.