December 16, 2012 gang-rape and murder verdict: A timeline of events that took six years in the making
Here's a timeline of events
When the Supreme Court rejected the review petitions filed by the convicts in the brutal December 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case, it finally sealed the fate of the three accused who had filed a review petition against last year's judgment.
A fourth accused did not apply for a review petition, while the fifth accused, Ram Singh, committed suicide. The final accused, a minor, was rehabilitated, and is in some part of India.
Here is a timeline of the events
December 16, 2012: A 23-year-old paramedical student is gang-raped, assaulted brutally by six men inside a moving bus and her semi-naked body is dumped on the Mahipalpur road in Delhi. The girl was traveling at around 9 pm to Dwarka from Munirka with her male friend after watching a movie at a mall in Saket. Her friend, who hails from Gorakhpur, was also assaulted & dumped. The girl student from Dehradun was in Delhi for her internship.
December 18, 2012: Delhi police arrest four men out of six and remand them in police custody for five days. The accused are bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, assistant gym instructor Vinay Sharma and fruit-seller Pawan Gupta. The other two are absconding.
Meanwhile, the girl is reported critical
December 19, 2012: The gang rape and near-fatal beating of the 23-year-old student triggers outrage and anger across the country as people demand stringent and swift punishment against those attacking women, including a proposal to make rapists eligible for the death penalty.
Meanwhile, the Delhi police detain fifth person, Akshay Thakur, in Bihar in connection with the rape and assault. Of the four arrested, Vinay Sharma speaks before a Delhi court, asks to be hanged.
December 20, 2012: Bowing to the pressure from fellow MPs, Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde announces in Parliament that the government will constitute a special investigation team (SIT) under a deputy commissioner of police (DCP) to fast track the case.
December 21, 2012: The victim records her statement; demands justice be delivered.
December 22, 2012: Shinde after holding an emergency meeting with former prime minister Manmohan Singh announces immediate steps to amend the criminal law for enhanced and more effective punishment in the rarest of rare cases of rape.
December 26, 2012: Victim suffers cardiac arrest; air lifted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital
December 29, 2012: The girl dies at Mt. Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore in the early hours at 4.45 am local time (2.15 am IST) after battling severe injuries for 13 days.
January 3, 2017: The Delhi police on files a 33-page charge sheet in a local court against five men arrested in the case. The five accused, Ram Singh, his brother, Mukesh, and their accomplices - Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur - are charge- sheeted under the IPC for murder, gang-rape, attempt to murder, kidnapping, unnatural offences, dacoity, hurting while committing robbery, destruction of evidence, criminal conspiracy and acting with a common intent. Since the sixth accused claimed to be 17-and-a-half years old, proceedings against him will be conducted by the juvenile justice board.
January 28, 2013: JJB declares sixth accused a minor
February 5, 2013 Trial begins
March 10, 2013 The prime accused in the Delhi gang rape case, Ram Singh, 33, found hanging under mysterious circumstances inside the Tihar jail.
August 31, 2013: JJB holds minor guilty of rape and murder and confined him to a remand home for three years.
September 13, 2013: A special fast track court in Delhi sentenced to death Mukesh Singh, 26, Akshay Thakur, 28, Pawan Gupta, 19, and Vinay Sharma, 20
March 13, 2014: Delhi HC upholds the lower court's sentence
March 15, 2014: The Supreme Court on Saturday stayed the execution of two convicts — Mukesh and Pawan Gupta — till March 31, 2014
July 14, 2014: SC stayed the execution of two other convicts Akshay and Vinay Sharma till further decision taken by the court
April 3, 2016: Hearings begin in the SC
February 3, 2017: SC decides to re-hear the case on the sentencing aspect, after the petitioners contend that there have been violations in procedure.
May 5, 2017: SC upholds death sentence for the 4 convicts; 3 accused want review petition
July 9, 2018: SC upholds its decision; all rapists except minor to be hanged