In a new development in the Nirbahya rape case, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde has recused himself on Tuesday from hearing the plea of convict Akshay Kumar Singh seeking review of the 2017 apex court judgment upholding his death penalty in the Nirbhaya gang rape-and-murder case. He has stated that one of the advocates who represented the woman is a family member, who had earlier appeared on behalf of the victim’s mother.
In light of this, a new bench will be constituted and the hearing will begin on Wednesday morning.
Akshay Singh, one of the five men convicted for the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi in 2012, had sought a review of his death penalty. In his petition, he has stated that life in Delhi is anyway being shortened due to the rising air and water pollution, then why a death penalty needs to be awarded.
Nirbhaya’s mother has opposed the plea.
Earlier in July 2018, the court had dismissed the review petitions filed by the other three convicts, Mukesh, 30, Pawan Gupta, 23, and Vinay Sharma, 24.
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The brutal rape and final death of Nirbhaya had left the nation in shock in 2012. A 23-year-old paramedic, she was returning in a bus, when she was brutally gang-raped on December 16, 2012, inside the running bus by six people in Delhi, including a juvenile. The shocking incident left the nation stunned and forced the government to tighten rape laws.
The four rapists were given death sentence by the trial court, which was later upheld by the High court and the Supreme Court.