New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry forwarded Friday to President Ram Nath Kovind the mercy petition of one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape case, recommending its rejection, officials said.
Mukesh Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case, had filed the mercy petition a few days ago.
“The Home Ministry has forwarded the mercy petition of Mukesh Singh to the President. The ministry has reiterated the recommendation of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi for its rejection,” the official said.
The Delhi LG had sent Thursday the mercy petition of Mukesh to the Home Ministry, a day after the Delhi government recommended its rejection.
The four convicts – Mukesh Singh (32), Vinay Sharma (26), Akshay Kumar Singh (31) and Pawan Gupta (25) are to be hanged January 22 at 7.00 am in Tihar Jail. A Delhi court had issued their death warrants January 7.
However, the Delhi government had informed the high court during a hearing that execution of the convicts will not take place on January 22 as a mercy plea has been filed by Mukesh.
PTI
