Nirbhaya case: judge rejects plea for fresh death warrants for hanging of 4 convicts

Efforts by authorities for a speedy hanging of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya case suffered a jolt as a trial court on Friday refused to issue fresh death warrants, asking how is it presumed that the fourth condemned prisoner is not going to seek the last available legal remedy for a reprieve.

Taking note of the Delhi High Court's February 5 order permitting the convicts in the gang-rape and murder case to exercise their legal remedies within one week, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana observed, "It is criminally sinful to execute the convicts when law permits them to live."
"What makes you (State) presume he (Pawan Gupta) is not going to use his curative plea?"
At this, public prosecutor Irfan Ahmad, appearing for the Delhi government and Tihar jail, said, "He (Pawan Gupta) has not filed yet. Currently no application by any of them is pending before any court."