New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday issued death warrant to all four convicts in the 2012 Delhi Nirbhaya gang-rape case. The gruesome incident had shaken the conscience of the nation and laws pertaining to crimes against women were reviewed and made more stringent.
Here’s the timeline:
December 16, 2012: A 23-year old girl is raped by six men on a moving bus in Delhi. The brutal incident evokes countrywide condemnation. The victim later succumbs to her injuries while undergoing treatment.
January 3, 2013: Delhi Police filed charge sheet against five accused for offences including murder, gang-rape, attempt to murder, kidnapping, unnatural offences and dacoity. The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) ruled on January 28 that the sixth accused is a minor.
February 2, 2013: The five accused – Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh – charged with 13 offences including murder.
March 11, 2013: Ram Singh, the bus driver, found hanging in his cell in Tihar jail.
August 31, 2013: JJB convicts the juvenile for gang-rape and murder and awards three years term at a probation home.
September 10, 2013: Fast track court convicts Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan of 13 offences including gang rape, unnatural offence and murder of the woman and attempt to murder her male friend.
September 13, 2013: Fast track court awards death sentence to all the four convicts. The trial court refers the case to Delhi High Court for confirmation of death sentence.
November 1, 2013: Delhi High Court starts hearing the case on a daily basis.
March 13, 2014: Delhi High Court uphold s death sentence awarded to the four convicts.
December 20, 2015: Delhi High Court refuses to stay the release of the juvenile. He walks out of a correction home after spending three years.
April 3, 2016: The Supreme Court begins hearing the case.
March 27, 2017: The Supreme Court reserves its verdict after nearly a year of hearing the case.
May 5, 2017: SC upholds the death penalty of the four accused.
July 9, 2018: The top Court rejects review petition filed by Sharma, Gupta and Singh.
October 29, 2019: Tihar Jail gives seven days to convicts to file mercy petition or will go to court and seek a black warrant.
November 8, 2019: Sharma files mercy petition with the Delhi government which is rejected by the Home Department. The file is forwarded to the Chief Secretary on November 29.
November 30, 2019: Chief Secretary rejects it and sends the file to Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain. The minister rejects it and forwards the file to LG’s office.
December 2, 2019: LG rejects mercy plea of Sharma, approves Delhi government decisions.
December 6, 2019: Delhi government’s recommendation rejecting Sharma’s mercy plea is sent to President by Home Ministry.
December 10, 2019: Thakur files a review petition in Supreme Court.
January 7, 2020: A Delhi court issues death warrant against all four convicts.