Nirbhaya's mother on the case: 'This is not just a challenge for me but for entire system'

Nirbhaya's mother on Saturday expressed her grief over the delay in the execution of Nirbhaya rape convicts. She said that the convict's lawyer AP Singh challenged her inside the court over the hanging of the convicts. Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday has moved to the Delhi High Court against Patiala House Court order staying the hanging of Nirbhaya rapists.

Speaking to the media, she said, "I am hurt because from the past seven years I am struggling to get justice for my daughter every day. In a country where people praise the law, AP Singh challenged me inside the court. We do not have any personal grudges from AP Singh, he is just doing his job. This is not just a challenge for me but for the entire country and the system."

READ | Delhi HC To Hear Plea On Execution Of Nirbhaya Case Convicts On Saturday

Execution delayed

On Saturday, Tihar Jail authorities approached the Delhi High Court, challenging a trial court's order. MHA, along with Tihar jail, mentions that the convicts by filing their review, curative and mercy petition, one after the other at such a belated stage, are being permitted to play with law leading to unnecessarily prolonging execution and taking judicial process for a ride.

This development comes amidst the Supreme Court agreeing to hear the Centre's plea seeking ‘victim and society centric’ guidelines to prevent delay in the execution of convicts. The Centre has appealed to the apex court to set guidelines as the process is often misused by the convict to prolong the day of execution. The previous date of execution in the Nirbhaya rape case was on February 1. Meanwhile, Akshay Thakur, one of the convicts has filed a mercy petition on Saturday. 

READ | Nirbhaya Convict Akshay Thakur Seeks President's Pardon After Indefinite Stay On Execution

Earlier on Friday, the Patiala House Court deferred the execution of all the 4 convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case until further orders. This development comes a few hours after the Supreme Court dismissed the review plea of Pawan Kumar Gupta, a convict in the Nirbhaya case, against the apex court's verdict on whether he was a juvenile at the time of committing the crime. On Thursday, the curative plea of another Nirbhaya convict Akshay was dismissed by the apex court. 

READ | Nirbhaya Case: Asha Devi Ridicules Convicts' Plea As Another Delay Tactic

Nirbhaya case proceedings

Currently, SC has rejected all convicts review petition while the president has rejected two convicts' mercy plea and has received the third one. The Supreme Court has rejected three convicts' curative petition, while one is yet to file curative petitions. The Jallad (executioner) Pawan Kumar has already reported to  Tihar Jail and performed a dummy execution after the Patiala House court set an execution date on January 22 and later extended it to February 1.

READ | MHA Moves Delhi HC Against Patiala Court's Order Staying Hanging Of Nirbhaya Rapists