New Delhi: Four death row convicts in the December 16 gangrape and murder case were awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment on Wednesday in a separate robbery case by a Delhi court, which said they do not deserve any leniency.
The court awarded the jail term to Akshay Kumar Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma for the offences under various sections of the IPC, including sections 395 (dacoity) and 412 (dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing that it was obtained by dacoity).
It also imposed a fine of Rs 1.01 lakh each on the four convicts who were present in the court at the time of pronouncement of the order on sentence.
“Given the nature of the offences committed by the convicts and the ramifications of the incident with the public at large, I do not agree with the submissions of the counsel for the convicts that they should be afforded any leniency be it on account of their age, their economic and social backgrounds or their family situations,” Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh said.
During the hearing, additional public prosecutor Jitender Sharma sought stringent punishment for the convicts saying the offences committed by them were grave in nature.
“Such offences shake the confidence and trust of people on public transportation. The offenders should be imposed the maximum punishment prescribed under law in order to ensure that just punishment is meted out,” he said.
Advocate A P Singh, appearing for all the convicts, said they were the sole bread earners of their family and sought leniency from the court. He further said the convicts should be given a chance to reform themselves.
Six persons, including a juvenile, had beaten up and robbed carpenter Ram Adhar before raping and brutally assaulting a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. The victim had died in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.
Mukesh, Vinay, Pawan and Akshay were awarded death penalty by trial court in the gangrape and murder case which was later confirmed by Delhi High Court. Their appeals are pending before the Supreme Court.