'Send them to Indo-Pak border': AP Singh makes farcical attempt to save Nirbhaya rapists

Even as the Patiala House Court rejected the plea of the Nirbhaya convicts to stay the execution of their death warrant, their counsel AP Singh made a farcical attempt to defer the hanging. He appealed to the court that the convicts can be sent to the Indo-Pakistan border or Doklam as they wanted to "serve the country". Moreover, he expressed his willingness to file an affidavit in this regard. All the 4 rapists are scheduled to hang on March 20 at 5.30 am as their legal remedies have been exhausted. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court rejected separate pleas filed by convicts Mukesh, Pawan, and Akshay to stay the execution of their death warrant. 

Read: 'Our Courts Are Aware Of Their Tactics; Nirbhaya Will Get Justice Tomorrow': Asha Devi

Arguments in the Patiala House Court

To begin with, prosecutor Irfan Ahmad informed the court that Pawan and Akshay had moved a second mercy petition, but the President refused to entertain the same as their first mercy pleas were already complete and were given due consideration. After arriving, AP Singh- the counsel for the accused claimed that he had filed Akshay’s post-mercy judicial review before the SC. Furthermore, he cited the pendency of the divorce petition filed by Akshay’s wife in Aurangabad Family Court and Vinay’s plea against the Election Commission before Delhi HC.

The judge questioned him about the legal provision which allowed a stay on the death warrant at this juncture. The prosecutor interjected that AP Singh had made wrong submissions. He stressed that not a single legal remedy was available to the convict. Thereafter, the judge reserved his verdict.  

Read: Bihar Court Defers Hearing Divorce Plea Of Nirbhaya Rapist Akshay's Wife, Ahead Of Hanging

What is the Nirbhaya rape and murder case? 

A 23-year-old paramedic student Nirbhaya was gang-raped inside a running bus by six persons on December 16, 2012, in Delhi. The victim was severely assaulted and thrown out on the road along with her male friend and succumbed to injuries a few days later. Out of the six convicts, one reportedly committed suicide in prison, while another, a juvenile, served maximum punishment of three years in a reform home and was set free in 2015. The remaining four rapists were convicted and handed the death penalty by a trial court in 2013, confirmed by the Delhi High Court in March 2014. The Supreme Court upheld the Delhi High Court's verdict in 2017. 

Read: Nirbhaya Case: SC Rejects Convict Pawan's Juvenility Claim Curative Plea On Eve Of Hanging

Read: All Remedies Exhausted, Nirbhaya Rapists Now Approach ICJ To Seek Stay On Their Execution