Court Directs Tihar Authorities to File Report on Status of Scheduled Execution of Nirbhaya Convicts

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday directed Tihar jail authorities to file a proper report by Friday about the status of scheduled execution of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora passed the directions after jail authorities informed that they have written to the Delhi government on the issue of scheduled execution on January 22 in view of pending remedies of the accused.

Rahul Mehra, standing counsel for the Arvind Kejriwal-government, made a statement in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that hanging cannot take place on January 22, as fixed by the trial judge, since one of the convicts, Mukesh Singh, has now moved a mercy plea before the President.

According to Mehra, the Delhi government will approach the trial judge on January 21 with a request for issuance of a fresh death warrant since the execution on January 22 was not possible under the Delhi Jail Manual.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has received the mercy petition of one of the convicts from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi recommending its rejection, officials said on Thursday.

Mukesh Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the case, filed the mercy plea a few days ago.

"The Home Ministry has received the mercy petition from the LG recommending its rejection. The petition is being examined and an appropriate decision will be taken soon," a ministry official said.