Delhi rape case convicts get death sentence
NEW DELHI, May 5, 2017
India's Supreme Court today (May 5) has upheld the death sentence awarded to four convicts in a landmark judgment in Delhi Nirbhaya gangrape case by a Delhi fast-track court in 2013.
Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma, Mukesh Singh, Ram Singh and a juvenile were held guilty of gang-raping and murdering a 23-year-old student in the national capital, reported Indian Express.
The brutal incident shook the entire nation on the night of December 16, 2012 leading to widespread public protests and rallies by women activists and college students.
The victim, who put up a brave fight, died about a fortnight later in a Singapore hospital where she was battling for life.
During the course of the trial, Ram Singh was found dead in prison. The juvenile, who was tried by the juvenile justice board, served three years in a remand home and has since been released, said the report.
In its verdict, the apex court said, "Taking the serious injuries, the severe nature of offence committeed by the convicts in consideration, we are upholding the sentence."
While the Supreme Court has passed its order today, the four convicts will be given enough time to decide their next move, stated the report.
They can file a writ petition in the Supreme Court and post that they can file a mercy petition before the President, it added.
