New Delhi: The juvenile convict in the December 16 gangrape and murder case is all set to walk free on Sunday as the Supreme Court refused the dramatic post-midnight move of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to stay his release by giving an urgent hearing.
A vacation bench comprising Justices AK Goel and UU Lalit in their order pronounced at 2 AM, posted the matter for hearing on Monday.
The development comes, after DCW chief Swati Maliwal submitted the SLP to the registrar general of the Supreme Court late on Saturday night, seeking the court’s intervention against the release of the juvenile convict, considered the most brutal among the attackers in the December 16, 2012 gang-rape case.
The SLP was filed after the Delhi High Court refused to restrain the release of the convict.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of India Tirath Singh Thakur, who was informed about the developments by the registrar general, has referred the petition to a vacation bench comprising justices AK Goel and UU Lalit.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal reached the apex court at midnight to file a Special Leave Petition but the court said there was no urgency for a midnight hearing and has listed the hearing for Monday.
Maliwal said, “We have filed our petition. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear our case on Monday. It has been listed as the third item on the list, the matter is sub-judice. I hope the juvenile will not be released till the hearing.”
Earlier on the day, Nirbhaya’s parents were released minutes after they were detained by the police for protesting outside juvenile reform home against release of the juvenile convict.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed shock over detaining of Nirbhaya’s parents. He also said that he has asked the Police Commissioner to get them released.
“I am shocked to learn that Nirbhaya’s parents have been detained. They shud immediately be released,” tweeted Kejriwal.
“Police action against Nirbhaya’s parents is unacceptable. I have asked Chief Secy to talk to Police commissioner and get them released,” Kejriwal said in another tweet.