The parents of Nirbhaya have moved the President’s office seeking rejection of the mercy petition filed by Vinay Sharma, one of the convicts in the December 2012 gangrape case.
In their letter, they have stated that the mercy petition is a “deliberate” attempt to avoid the execution of the death sentence and hamper the process of justice. They have also said that the trauma, pain and the agony suffered by them have become unbearable and justice is getting delayed in the process. The Supreme Court had confirmed their conviction and the sentence and further dismissed the review petition last year. However, the execution hearing is still underway.
The Ministry of Home Affairs earlier received Vinay Sharma’s mercy petition after Delhi Govt rejected his plea. But Ministry of Home Affairs rejected the mercy petition and forwarded it to the President Ram Nath Kovind also urging him to reject the mercy petition.
The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, “we have received the LG’s approval to reject the mercy petition (of Vinay Sharma) and today we will send our recommendations to the President.”
He also said that the government wants a stringent penalty for rape and murder convicts and that there is no scope for leniency.
NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has also urged President Ram Nath Kovind to reject the mercy plea, stating that the rise of such inhuman incidents against women must be met with exemplary punishments.
She further requested Kovind to direct the government to set a definite mechanism and timeline for trial and disposal of all appeals, review petitions and curative petitions in such heinous and brutal rape cases, preferably within six months so that speedy justice can be ensured.
Early Friday, as news broke of the killing by the Telangana police in an alleged encounter of the four suspected rapists of the Hyderabad vet, Nirbhaya’s mother made a public statement praising what she termed as instant justice.
The mother of the 2012 victim said that this morning’s news was an ointment to her wounds. She said, “Atleast one daughter has been given justice and I thank the police.”
— India Legal Bureau
Also Read: President Kovind Says Rapists Convicted Under POCSO Should Be Denied Mercy Petitions