Nirbhaya case: PIL in SC seeks live telecast of rapists' execution

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case to hanged within a month and their executions be live telecasted.

The petition sought that review and curative petition of the convicts be disposed of within a month. The Supreme Court is slated to hear review plea of one of the convicts, Akshay Kumar Singh, on December 17.

"Dispose of all the Nirbhaya accused review, curative and mercy petitions within one month and to execute the death warrants of all accused by hanging within one month," the petition stated.

It also requested to carry out live telecast of the hanging of the accused. "Allow the Nirbhaya family to watch the execution (like in the USA) of the all accused of Nirbhaya case so that it may bring closure to the Nirbhaya family."

The petitioner also demanded that the cost of the hanging rope must be retrieved "so that the accused family may understand that it was their responsibility too to impart values in their rapist son."

The plea sought for a direction to frame guidelines for completion of both police probe and trial in fast track court within six months in rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases.

It also sought appeals in the High Court and Supreme Court to be completed within four months and three months, respectively.

"Review and Curative Petition in further three months in any rape and POCSO case," it read.

It sought setting up of fast track courts in every district and sessions court and one dedicated bench in every High Courts and Supreme Court for disposing of rape and POCSO cases.

The case pertains to gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedic student on December 16, 2012. The six accused were apprehended by the police.

Out of six persons, one was a minor and appeared before a juvenile justice court, while another accused committed suicide in Tihar jail.

The four convicts had then approached the Delhi High Court but it upheld the lower court verdict. Later, the Supreme Court, too, upheld the death penalty in May 2017. The rest of the convicts are facing the gallows.

One of the convicts, Vinay, moved a mercy petition last month but has now sought to withdraw it.