Trying to delay procedure, says Nirbhaya's lawyer after convict files review petition in SC

As one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case filed a review petition in the Supreme Court, advocate Seema Kushwaha, the lawyer from Nirbhaya's side, on Thursday said that the plea has been filed to delay the procedure.

"We hope that the Supreme Court dismisses the review petition. The country saw that their review petition does not have any merit. They are just trying to delay the procedure," Kushwaha told ANI here.

She said that the apex court will hear the matter on December 17.

"They had 30 days' time to file a review petition after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentence on May 5, 2017. They should have filed it by June the same year. However, the entire 2017 and 2018 passed by and they did not file it," Kushwaha said.

"The Supreme Court will most likely dismiss the petition on the ground of delay," she added.

The top court has slated review petition of Akshay Kumar Singh, one of the convicts in the brutal December 16, 2012, gang-rape and murder case, for hearing on December 17.

The convict had filed a review petition on Tuesday in the matter seeking modification and leniency.

Singh was sentenced to death by a trial court on September 13, 2013, for raping and murdering the 23-year-old woman physiotherapist on the chilling cold night of December 16, 2012, in the national capital.

His sentence was upheld by the Delhi High Court and finally by the Supreme Court.