New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday confirmed the death sentence for the four convicts of the horrific Nirbhaya rape case which took place on December 16, 2012.
The verdict was announced by the apex court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra and consisting of Justices R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan.
The Supreme Court said:
“Taking the serious injuries, the severe nature of offence committeed by the convicts, we are upholding the sentence.”
‘It is a barbaric incident’, the bench added.
“There should be a systematic education of children of to ensure how they will give respect to women,” Justice Bhanumati said.
Justice Bhanumati quoted Swami Vivekanand on how should tradition enrich society with knowledge&understanding to ensure justice for women.
Union Minister Maneka Gandhi expressed her support towards the SC’s verdict.
“I am happy that the verdict has been upheld though I wish it had come sooner,” Maneka Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, convict lawyer AP Singh claimed that he will file the review petition after reading the order.
“Justice is not done. We will file review petition after reading the order. You cannot give a death sentence to anyone for a message to the nation. The meaning of punishment is improvement. There is a right to live. In this, the human rights have been neglected, Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology has been neglected as this is violence,” Singh said.
The convicts – Akshay, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh – challenged the Delhi High Court order which had sentenced them to the gallows.
Earlier, the trial court also had sentenced all the four convicts to death penalty.
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Here is a timeline of crucial developments in the case:
May 5, 2017: The Supreme Court to pronounce its judgment in infamous 2012 Delhi gang rape case.
March 27, 2017: The Supreme Court reserves verdict after nearly a year of hearing the case.
March 6, 2017: All the accused submit additional affidavits in the Court.
February 3, 3017: The Supreme Court decides to re-hear the case on the sentencing aspect, after the petitioners contend that there have been violations in procedure.
January 6, 2017: The Supreme Court seeks mitigating circumstances from the accused.
November 28, 2016: Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae Sanjay Hegde argues against reliability of evidence in the case.
November 7, 2016: Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae Raju Ramachandran makes his submissions, argues for the sentencing order to be set aside.
September 16, 2016: Former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Delhi) Chaya Sharma, who was transferred to Mizoram post the Delhi gang rape case, attends the hearing.
September 2, 2016: Advocate M. L. Sharma concludes his submissions.
August 29, 2016: High drama in the courtroom as allegation of the police tampering with evidence is made.
April 8, 2016: Senior Advocates Raju Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde appointed Amicus Curiae.
April 3, 2016: Hearings begin in the Supreme Court, after 19 months of being in cold storage. Justices Dipak Misra, V. Gopala Gowda and Kurian Joseph to hear the case.
December 18, 2015: Delhi High Court refuses to stay release of the minor-accused, who walks free after three years in a juvenile home.
March 15, 2014: The Supreme Court stays execution of the accused after allegations of a denial of fair trial.
March 13, 2014: Delhi High Court Bench of Justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani upholds the trial Court verdict.
September 13, 2013: Four remaining accused sentenced to death by Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.
January 29, 2013: The Supreme Court dismisses transfer petition.
August 31, 2013: Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) presided over by Principal District Magistrate Geetanjali Goel finds the juvenile accused guilty of rape and murder of the medical student, sentences him to three years in Special Home.
March 11, 2013: Main accused Ram Singh commits suicide in Tihar jail.
December 16, 2012: Six men, including the 17-year-old juvenile, gang-rape a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving bus on December 16, 2012. The girl and her friend were returning home after watching a movie when they were coaxed into the bus by the accused, who then beat up her friend before taking turns in raping her.
The girl succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.