The unprecedented delay in the execution of the four gangrape convicts in the Nirbhaya case has left Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi and her family shattered. Alleging that the convicts were indulging in delay tactics, Nirbhaya’s mother broke down in court today which resumed hearing the plea of the state and Nirbhaya’s parents seeking issuance of fresh death warrant against the four convicts.
Delhi Court resumes hearing on plea of state&Nirbhaya’s parents seeking issuance of fresh death warrant against the 4 convicts.Nirbhaya’s mother in Court ‘what about my rights?I am standing with folded hands.Please issue death warrant.I am also human. It’s been more than 7 years’
— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2020
With tears rolling down her face, Asha Devi on Wednesday pleaded before the judges that she has been waiting for more than seven years to get her daughter justice. “What about my rights? I am standing with folded hands. Please issue the death warrant. I am also human. It’s been more than seven years, begged Asha Devi before the court.
“I am wandering here and there to get justice for my daughter. These convicts are using delaying tactics. I don’t know why the court is not able to understand this,” furthered Asha Devi in court.
The Delhi court had on Wednesday offered legal aid to one of the four convicts, Pawan Gupta, after the convict’s lawyer in the court said that he will no longer represent him.
The convict’s father had asked the court to grant his son more time to arrange for legal aid. On this, the court said that everyone has the right to have legal aid till his last breath and adjourned the matter for Thursday, February 13.
Nirbhaya’s mother expressed displeasure on the court’s decision to give time to Pawan Gupta to arrange a legal aid for himself saying that this would further delay the process.
“I am losing faith and hope now. The court must understand the delay tactics of the convicts. Now if a new lawyer is provided to convict Pawan, he/she will take his/her own time to go through case files,” said Nirbhaya’s mother.
The Tihar jail authorities had filed a status report on Tuesday before the trial court which stated that no legal option was preferred by any convicts in the last seven-day period, granted by the Delhi high court.
Concluding that the four convicts cannot be hanged separately, the Delhi High Court had on February 5, made it clear that the convict must complete all his legal options in 7 days.
Merely 12 hours ahead of the much-awaited execution of the four convicts in 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, the Patiala House court in Delhi on January 31 had once again directed the Tihar Jail authorities not to execute the four convicts until further notice. The execution was scheduled for February 1st at 6 am.
This decision had broken down Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi, who has been for the last seven year awaiting justice. She had then alleged that the convicts’ lawyer AP Singh pointed fingers at her and told her that the hangings have been deferred till eternity.
Blaming political parties and Arvind Kejriwal led state government for the delay in executing the convicts, Asha Devi said none of them are interested in implementing the court’s order.
Prior to this, parents of Nirbhaya had alleged that politics is being played over our daughter’s death. Badri Nath Singh, the father of the 2012 Delhi gangrape and mother victim, had said that the AAP government in Delhi came to power using the Nirbhaya case, and now they are again using the case for politics.
The four convicts in 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case were sentenced to death by a trial court in September 2013, and the verdict was confirmed by the Delhi High Court in March 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2017, which also dismissed their review petition in July 2018.
On 17th January 2020, the President had rejected the mercy plea of Mukesh Singh. After the President rejected the petition, Tihar jail approached the court for reissue of the death warrant. Accordingly, a Delhi court had issued fresh death warrants for the four convicts and ordered that they will be hanged at 6 AM on February 1.
