Patiala House Court issued new death warrants
New Delhi, 17 February : ย Delhi’s Patiala House Court has issued a new death warrants against the convicts of Nirbhaya rape and murder case on Monday. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana has issued an order for hanging on March 3 at 6 am.
During the hearing, the Tihar Jail administration submitted a status report to the court. Government lawyer Rajiv Mohan told the court that three out of the four convicts have tried all the legal options. There is no petition pending in today’s date. The Delhi High Court gave the convicts seven days. Rajiv Mohan also informed the court about the decision of the Supreme Court.
He said that according to the Delhi Prison Rules, after the mercy petition is rejected, the jail administration has to file a petition in the court for the death warrant. That is why the jail administration has filed this petition. The Supreme Court has also said that the trial court can decide on the basis of merit.
Lawyer Vrinda Grover told the court that the convicted Mukesh no longer wanted to hire her as a lawyer. The court said that the convict Vinay is on hunger strike. Then the lawyer AP Singh said that he is not able to eat food. Convicted Pawan said that his lawyer Ravi Kazi did not come to meet him in those seven days, due to which he could not try any legal option. On the other hand, Kazi said that Pawan had already hired a lawyer, so he was not given a legal aid. Qazi said Pawan wants to file curative plea and mercy petition. Then Vrinda Grover said that if for any reason he does not want to keep me a lawyer, then I should be discharged.
The court said that according to the jail report, initially the convict Vinay had said that he has been on hunger strike since 11 February but he started eating from 3 pm on Febuary 12. Take proper care as per jail administration rules. Mukesh’s mother demanded a second lawyer from the court. Mukesh’s mother said that she wants her death sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment. Then Vrinda Grover said that if the person sentenced to death says that he does not want us, then it would not be proper for me to be a lawyer on his behalf. The court praised the work of advocate Vrinda Grover, discharging the said lawyer Vrinda Grover. The court appointed advocate Ravi Kazi for Mukesh.
On February 13, the Patiala House Court could not issue a new death warrant against the convicts of Nirbhaya. The court said that it would be better to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision than to hang the case again and again. Government lawyer Irfan Ahmed told the court that we refused to put anyone in the list of lawyers we had given to convict Pawan. Then the court said that first we have to decide who will represent Pawan. Vrinda Grover had said that senior advocate Anjana Prakash has been appointed as amicus curiae by the Supreme Court.
The government lawyer had said that despite refusing to take legal aid, it is the responsibility of the court to provide the lawyer. But there is no problem in issuing a new death warrant. Then on behalf of Nirbhaya’s parents, lawyer Jeetendra Jha had said that there is no pending plea of โโthe convicts in today’s date and there is no obstruction in issuing new death warrant. It is believed that Akshay, the fourth convict, will not try any legal option.
Advocate AP Singh had said that Vinay’s petition is still pending in the Supreme Court. A regular process is going on. AP Singh told the court after reading the timeline related to the case from 6 January 2020. Then the court said that you are in favor of trying all the options. Then AP Singh had said that the convicts are not having fun in jail. They are working hard. Vrinda Grover had said that it is not at the will of the culprits that they should be given legal aid or not. He had said that the lawyers should refrain from saying that the convict is enjoying in jail. He had said that our constitution is made by the will of the people and it cannot be below the will of the people.
Advocate Ravi Kazi said that first let the Supreme Court decide. Nobody knows what will happen after that. Qazi had said that if the culprits have options then they should try. No one should object to this.
Last February 5, the Delhi High Court had said that the accused of Nirbhaya cannot be hanged separately. The High Court had said that the accused of Nirbhaya are delaying by abusing the law. The High Court directed Nirbhaya’s convicts to try the legal option within seven days. The High Court had said that the death warrant should have been issued much earlier but the jail administration was seen relaxed.
