After the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the curative petition of the two convicts, Vinay and Mukesh in the Nirbhaya gangrape case, one of the convicts – Mukesh has filed a mercy petition against his pending capital punishment. Also, he has moved Delhi high court seeking a stay on the death warrant issued to him on 7 January along with the other three convicts in the case.
As per reports, in his petition to the Delhi High Court, the convict has argued that he has the right to seek mercy from the President without the shadow of a looming death warrant.
Mukesh’s mercy plea will be sent to the Delhi Government and then to the Ministry of Home Affairs before finally approaching the President, Ram Nath Kovind. The President’s decision will be based on the recommendations of the Delhi government and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
As per a Delhi court order on 7 January, the four convicts, Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay, and Akshay, will be hanged on 22 January at 7 AM. Subsequently, the Tihar jail authorities have made preparations for the execution.
“Execution of the four convicts will empower the women of the country. This decision will strengthen the trust of people in the judicial system,” stated Asha Devi, the victim’s mother, after the Delhi Court issued the death warrant on 7 January.
Mercy plea is a constitutional remedy available to the convicts.
