The Nirbhaya rape convicts were to be hanged today – March 3rd at 6 a.m. However due to dilatory tactics adopted by the convicts, their hanging has been postponed yet again. The reason being one of the convicts has filed a mercy petition before the President. The execution has been postponed until further orders. One convict Pawan Gupta’s petition is currently pending before the President. He filed a mercy petition after his curative petition was dismissed by a five judge Supreme Court Bench.
The fate of the other three convicts would depend upon how long Pawan Gupta’s challenges continue. The government has appealed to the Supreme Court for permission to execute separately all the convicts who have exhausted their legal and administrative remedies. The appeal is pending before the Court.
