NCW chief condemns Delhi govt's 'delaying tactics' in hanging of Nirbhaya case convicts

NCW chief Rekha Sharma on Wednesday condemned the Delhi government's "delaying tactics" in the execution of the Nirbhaya case convicts and urged the authorities to hang them on January 22, as ordered by a local court early this month.

Her remarks came after the Delhi government informed the high court that execution of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case will not take place the date stipulated by a trial court as one of them, Mukesh Kumar (32), has filed a mercy plea before the President.

The four convicts -- Vinay Sharma (26), Mukesh Kumar (32), Akshay Kumar Singh (31) and Pawan Gupta (25) -- were to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar jail. A Delhi court had issued their death warrants on January 7.

"These are delaying tactics and I really condemn it. They should be hanged on the date given by the court, which is January 22. Why has the Delhi government suddenly woken up in the matter," the National Commission for Women (NCW) chief said.

Earlier, Delhi government and prison authorities told the high court that as per the rules they will have to wait for the mercy plea to be decided before executing the death warrant.

Delhi government's standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra told the bench that since Mukesh has moved a mercy plea, they have to wait for the other co-convicts to exhaust their mercy pleas as well.

Sources said the Delhi government has recommended rejecting Mukesh's mercy plea.

The recommendation will be sent to the Union Home Ministry, they said.