Nirbhaya's mother alleges foul play, says hanging of convicts being 'deliberately' delayed

NEW DELHI: Alleging a foul play in the case, Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi on Friday said that political parties were playing politics over the sensitive issue and deliberately delaying the execution of four convicts. "It has been 7 years and we didn`t get justice. The government can`t see our pain. Parties are playing politics on my daughter`s death. I think the hanging is being deliberately postponed," Asha Devi told Zee News.

"So far, I have never spoken about politics, but now I want to say that those people who held protests on streets in 2012, are today playing politics over my daughter`s death for political gains," she added.

On Thursday, BJP alleged that the AAP government is responsible for the delay in the hanging of Nirbhaya convicts. Later, Deputy Chief Minister and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia hit back at BJP and said, ''Give us Delhi Police and law-and-order responsibility for two days and we will hang Nirbhaya convicts.''

Commenting on Sisodia's remark, Asha said, "It would be good if Sisodia had said 'give me Delhi Police, I will protect girls." Nirbhaya's mother also reportedly urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the hanging of convicts takes place on January 22.

Advocate Rahul Mehr, the Standing Counsel for Tihar Jail authorities, has said that the execution of convicts in 2012 gang-rape case will not take place on January 22.

"It can only take place 14 days after the mercy plea is rejected as we are bound by the rule which says that a notice of 14 days must be provided to the convicts after the rejection of mercy plea," he added. In a related development, President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday rejected the mercy plea filed by one of the convicts of the Nirbhaya gangrape case — Mukesh Singh — clearing all roadblocks to the execution of the four convicts. 

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The mercy plea was filed by Mukesh Singh recently after his curative plea was rejected by the Supreme Court. On January 15, the Delhi government recommended the Centre to reject the mercy petition filed by Mukesh Singh, one of the four men sentenced to death for the 2012 gangrape.

According to reports, Mukesh's mercy plea was first rejected by the Delhi government, which forwarded the same to the Lieutenant Governor recommending 'rejection'. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal accepted the recommendation of the Delhi Government and forwarded the file to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The MHA sources later confirmed that the ministry has received mercy petition of Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case convict Mukesh Singh from Delhi government.

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had refused to stay death warrants after the state government said that it 'can't hang convicts on January 22'. While refusing to set aside the death warrant issued for the hanging of four Nirbhaya gangrape-murder convicts, the high court said that convict Mukesh Singh could approach the trial court, which issued the death warrant. 

The HC also said that it found nothing wrong in the death warrants issued by Delhi's Patiala House court for the hanging of four convicts. The four convicts - Vinay Sharma (26), Mukesh Kumar (32), Akshay Kumar Singh (31) and Pawan Gupta (25) - are to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am.