Victory for Nirbhaya: Supreme Court upholds death sentence for killers

The convicts Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Kumar Singh had approached the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court decision confirming the death penalty awarded to them by the trial court.

• "Evidence presented by the prosecution shall be relied on", Justice Dipak Mishra
• Two separate judgements being read out in the Nirbhaya case
• Judgement being read out in Supreme Court
• Nirbhaya's parents reach Supreme Court. Arrive inside court room 2
• "We have waited for five long years. I only want justice for my daughter. I am certain they will be hanged", says Nirbhaya's mother
• Nirbhaya would have turned 28 on May 10, 2017
• "We have full faith in the judicial system and I am sure that the Supreme Court will announce death sentence in its verdict for the guilty. I am sure the Supreme Court will give justice to my daughter. This will set an example for the world": Nirbhaya's mother.
• "They will be awarded death sentence. Leave Supreme Court, even God will not forgive such people": Nirbhaya's father

It was one of the most brutal cases that the nation had witnessed. Known as the Nirbhaya rape and murder case, the nation awaits with bated breath for the Supreme Court order. The SC is all set to decide whether the killers will hang to death or spend the rest of their life in jail.

The SC Bench headed by Justice Dipak Mishra is expected to pronounce its verdict at 2 pm today. Follow all the live updates here.

Nirbhaya was brutally assaulted and raped by six persons before being thrown out of a bus in South Delhi on December 16 2012. She passed away at hospital a few days later at Singapore.

The Delhi police strongly argued for upholding the death penalty for the convicts and termed the incident as a brutal crime.

A three judge Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra concluded hearings on the appeals on March 27. The appeals were heard for almost a year on a day-to-day basis.

The Delhi police strongly argued for upholding the death penalty for the convicts and termed the incident as a brutal crime. An Amicus Curae who was appointed in the case opposed death penalty sought that a lifer be awarded.

The Bench had prima facie agreed with the contention of the amicus that Section 235 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which provides that a trial court should individually hear a convict before sentencing him was not followed in this case.

The counsel appearing for the convicts, asked the court to consider their family background and young age as mitigating factors.The convicts Mukesh, Pawan, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Kumar Singh had approached the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court decision confirming the death penalty awarded to them by the trial court.

OneIndia News