Dec. 16 gang-rape: SC dismisses DCW plea against juvenile release

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the plea by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) against the release of the juvenile offender in the December 16 gang-rape case.

The vacation bench, comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit, heard the plea. The matter was referred to the vacation bench by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur. The convict, who is now 20 years old, was reportedly shifted from a correctional centre to an NGO yesterday.

Expressing disappointment over the apex court's judgement, the victim's mother said that she did not go to the court today as she knew that the court will not put a stay on the juvenile's release.

The parents of the victim protested in the national capital yesterday. Hundreds of sympathisers joined them at Rajpath near India Gate to show solidarity. The victim's mother had said that she wanted justice for her daughter and said steps should have been taken long before to not set him free.

Six persons, including the juvenile, had assaulted and raped Nirbhaya in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012.

The victim succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital. Four of the accused were awarded death penalty by the trial court which was later confirmed by the Delhi High Court. Their appeals are pending before the Supreme Court. Another accused, Ram Singh, had allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail in 2013.