SC rejects Nirbhaya convict’s plea

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 29

The Supreme Court today dismissed Nirbhaya rape and murder case convict Mukesh Kumar Singh’s petition challenging the rejection of his mercy plea by President Ram Nath Kovind, saying expeditious disposal of a plea didn’t mean non-application of mind. “We do not find any ground for the exercise of judicial review of the order of the President of India rejecting the petitioner’s mercy petition and this petition is liable to be dismissed,” a three-judge Bench headed by Justice R Banumathi said.

With the dismissal of his petition against the rejection of his mercy plea, Mukesh has exhausted all his legal options and has moved closer to the gallows. He is scheduled to be hanged along with co-convicts Pawan Gupta, Vinay Kumar Sharma and Akshay Kumar in Tihar Jail at 6 am on February 1.

The top court has already rejected the curative plea of Vinay, while Akshay moved one today. A five-Judge Bench will take up Akshay’s petition at 1 pm tomorrow.