Condemning the release of the juvenile involved in the December 16 gang rape case, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) is doing shameful politics over the issue.
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"The DCW and Delhi government is doing politics in this matter. If they had a stand against the release they would have done it long back. It is very shameful that the Chief Minister and DCW chief is doing politics over this," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI here.
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Expressing grief over the release of the juvenile, Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee said that it is really sad that the main accused will be released just because of his age.
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She also said that despite Arvind Kejriwal making many public statements on lowering the age of juvenile to 15, when discussed in the House they (AAP) opposed it.
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"One thing I would like to point out which probably many people doesn't know Kejriwal ji is continuously saying that juvenile age should be lowered to 15, he has made many public statement, but when this issue was discussed in house their MPs opposed it. So it really shows the hypocrisy of the AAP government. DCW stand was late, even if the law is amended unfortunately this boy is released now," she added.
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The Supreme Court has decided to hear the plea of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) against the release of the juvenile in the December 16 gang rape case on Monday, ruling out that there will be no stay on his release.
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DCW chief Swati Maliwal reached the Supreme Court last night after DCW decided to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the apex court to stall the release of the convict.
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"I strongly feel that the Supreme Court has seen merit and that is why the Supreme Court was open at 2 o' clock in the night. This petition of Delhi Commission of Women against release of the juvenile and rapist in Nirbhaya's case has been accepted, and it has been listed as item number three on Monday. I am hopeful because the kind of matter we have, the Supreme Court will take cognizance and will rule in our favour," DCW chief Swati Maliwal told ANI.
The convict, who is now 20 years old and was known to be the most brutal of the attackers, has been taken to an undisclosed location from a correction home in North Delhi amid concerns that there was a threat to his life. He is scheduled to be released today.
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Earlier, the parents of the gang rape victim, along students and activists were detained by the police as they staged a protest against the release of the juvenile convict. The police action was condemned by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
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In December 2012, the teenager was part of the six member gang that lured a 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist and her male friend onto a bus, where the girl was gruesomely raped and her companion brutally beaten. The girl subsequently succumbed to her injuries 13 days later in Singapore.
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The incident caused nationwide outrage and led to widespread outpouring of anger against the rapists, including the teenager.