As per sources, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape case – Vinay Sharma’s mercy petition was rejected by the President Ram Nath Kovind.
The mercy petition was filed by Vinay Sharma through his lawyer, AP Singh on Wednesday who urged the President to listen to his side of the story which nobody has even considered to hear. Singh stated in the mercy petition that Vinay feels he has already “died several times” in prison during the pendency of judicial proceedings.
Earlier on 31 January, citing the Delhi Prison Rules 2018, the Delhi’s Patiala Court granted a stay on the execution of the four convicts which was scheduled on 1 February, stating that on the pendency of any appeal or application by even one convict, the execution gets postponed for all co-convicts.
“I am of the considered opinion that the execution warrant issued by this court vide order dated January 17 deserves to be postponed till further orders,” the Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana stated yesterday while granting a stay of the execution.
On 14 January, the curative petition of Vinay Sharma along with the other convict was dismissed by the Supreme Court. Subsequently, Mukesh’s mercy plea was rejected by President Ram Nath Kovind on 17 January.
