Nirbhaya Case: Prez Rejects Mukesh Singh’s Mercy Plea

PresidentRam Nath Kovind on Friday rejected the mercy plea of Mukesh Singh, one of thefour men convicted in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case, sources said.

The rejection came soon after the Union Home Ministryforwarded the petition to the president on Friday morning.

"It's a very good thing. Our hopes have gone up afterthe disheartening news that the execution might be delayed," the youngwoman's father told news agency PTI as news came in of the rejection.

Mukesh had filed his mercy petition two days ago.

The four convicts — Mukesh (32), Vinay Sharma (26), AkshayKumar Singh (31) and Pawan Gupta (25) — were to be hanged on January 22 at 7am in Tihar Jail, a Delhi court had announced on January 7 while issuing theirdeath warrants.

However, the Delhi government informed the high court duringa hearing that the execution of the convicts will not take place on the day asa mercy plea had been filed by Mukesh.

According to a home ministry official, "The HomeMinistry has forwarded the mercy petition of Mukesh Singh to the President. Theministry has reiterated the recommendation of the lieutenant governor of Delhifor its rejection."

DelhiLieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's office sent Mukesh Singh's mercy petition tothe Home Ministry on Thursday, a day after the Delhi government recommended itsrejection.