Delhi court to hear plea on Friday to persuade Nirbhaya convicts to donate organs

A Delhi court on Friday will hear a plea seeking to meet four death row convicts of Nirbhaya gang-rape case and motivate them to donate their organs.

The court heard the matter today but posted the hearing for tomorrow.

NGO RACO founding member Rahul Sharma requested the court to grant him permission to meet Nirbhaya Gangrape convicts and motivate them to donate their organs for social welfare.

A Delhi Court had issued a death warrant against four convicts-- Vinay, Pawan, Akshay, and Mukesh Singh-- on January 7 and they are scheduled to be executed on January 22 at 7 am in the Tihar Jail premises.

NGO's counsel Rishi Kapur, Shivam Sharma and Ankur Gogia in his plea has requested the court to grant permission to meet the convicts along with a group comprising of experts from various field including psychiatrist, spiritual leader and lawyer to lead expert consultations with the hope that it would acknowledge remorse to these convicts regarding the heinous crime committed by them.

The petitioner said that if the convicts agreed for the same it will not only help the society but also help their family as they are ashamed due to the heinous and barbarous conduct of the convict persons and by donating their organs will help their families to live in the society.

"This will not only benefit them in dying peacefully, but some persons could get actual benefits from their organs. As per Hindu religion that organ donation is one of the most pious acts as per various religious books including Vedas and Upanishads. In fact, the government of India has also started various organizations to provide a due platform to any interested individual to facilitate organ donation after death in a legalized manner," the petition read.

The plea said that the convicts in custody can also wash the sin committed by them by at least helping some individuals who are in need of organs in a lawful manner through established organizations and platforms. "This would also lead to a great example of a sense of responsibility after the commission of such heinous crime and just before the death sentence is to be executed, and the same would lead to a great example in the society at large," it said.

The petitioner has earlier moved the Tihar Jail authorities with his plea but the administration asked him to move the court.