SC Dismisses Plea Of Mukesh Singh Challenging President Kovind’s Rejection

The Supreme Court (SC,) on the 29th of January, continued the proceedings of the petition filed by Mukesh Singh, one of the convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape case.

A bench of three SC judges, headed by Justice R. Banumathi, heard Mukesh Singh’s petition challenging President of India Ram Nath Kovind’s rejection of his mercy plea.

Announcing the verdict on the morning of the 29th of January, the SC rejected the petition.  The Court said the rejection of the mercy plea by Ram Nath Kovind did not mean non application of mind by the President.  The bench also added the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) presented all the relevant documents and verdicts pertinent to the trial before President Kovind.

The Court also dismissed the allegations of Mukesh Singh, according to which he was sexually assaulted in the jail.  The SC said, “Alleged sufferings in jail can’t be grounds to challenge the rejection of mercy plea by President.” 

With this verdict of the SC, Mukesh Singh used all his legal rights to challenge the death sentence issued against him.   

However, another convict in the 2012 rape case, Akshay Singh, on the 29th of January, filed a curative petition in the SC.

Akshay Singh said, “I have approached the SC registry with curative petition today. The registry has asked me to file some additional documents along with the petition and I am in the process of completing the formalities.” 

If the SC rejects the curative petition filed by Akshay Singh, he could file a mercy plea to Ram Nath Kovind.  

With these legal proceedings, it is likely the hanging of the 4 convicts, which is scheduled on the 1st of February, could be postponed once again.

The Nirbhaya rape case happened on the 16th of December, 2012.  Six men, including a juvenile, gang raped a medical student in Delhi.  While the main accused, Ram Singh, committed suicide by hanging himself in his prison cell, the juvenile, who was 17 at the time of the crime, was sent to a juvenile home and was in remand for 3 years.

If the death execution is not postponed, the remaining 4 convicts, Vinay Sharma, Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh and Pawan Kumar Gupta, would be hanged in Prison 3 of Tihar Jail on the 1st of February, 2020, at 6:00 A.M.

Stay tuned for further updates.

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