Nirbhaya: Convicts seek stay on Feb 1 execution

New Delhi, Jan 30: The advocate for the convicts in the Nirbhaya case has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the execution slated for February 1. He said that none of the four convicts can be hanged until all of them have exhausted legal options including the mercy petition.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court dismissed the curative plea filed by Mukesh Singh. He had challenged the rejection of his mercy petition by the President. With the SC rejecting the curative plea, Singh has run out of all legal options.

On Wednesday evening, another convict Vinay filed a mercy petition with the president.

The same was filed directly in the President's secretariat. Today the SC would hear the curative plea filed by another co-convict Akshay. If the same is rejected, then he has the option of filing a mercy petition before the President and then challenge the same in the form of a curative plea before the Supreme Court.

The fourth convict Pawan is yet to file a curative plea. Under Section 854 of the revised Delhi Prison Rules, none can be hanged till the last one has exhausted all options in case of multiple death row convicts, held guilty for the same crime.

Further, even if the President rejects the mercy plea, two weeks time has to be given to the convict before the execution.