Supreme Court rejects plea to change law for juvenile convict in Delhi gang rape case

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the plea of the Delhi gang rape victim's parents to try the teenager convicted in their daughter's case in a criminal court instead of a juvenile court.

The petitioner for the parents, Subramanian Swamy, had sought that the law be reinterpreted so that juvenile convicts accused of heinous crimes, do not get the benefit of being minors during trial.

"Today the Supreme Court dismissed my petition seeking a re-interpretation of the Juvenile Justice Act so that the rapists and terrorists do not get the benefit of being just below the age of 18, arguing that because rape and terror acts shows that the person knew what he was doing, and should not be taken as a person who should be given any special treatment under the Juvenile Act," said Swamy.

However, the court dismissed the petition seeking saying it did not see a strong enough reason to re-interpret the law.

"The court held the view that since parliament has passed the law, and we find no ambiguity in the legislation, therefore, we are not in a position to change or reinterpret the law, as I had asked them," added Swamy.

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.

The incident caused nationwide outrage and led to widespread outpouring of anger against the rapists, including the teenager.