New Delhi [India], Mar 19 : A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking a stay on the execution of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case observing that those who seek the protection of law first need to respect it.
Additional session Judge Dharmender Rana refused to stay the execution after hearing arguments from all the sides in the matter.
"Condemned convict Pawan, in stark defiance of the directions of the Delhi High Court has opted not to exhaust his legal remedies. One who seeks protection of law first needs to learn to respect it. Therefore, I do not find any plausible reasons to suspend the execution of the death sentence simply because convict Pawan has opted not to exercise his legal remedy," the court observed.
The court, dismissing the plea, said that it was of the considered opinion that the application is bereft of merits and added that no valid ground has been brought to my notice to justify the stay of execution of death warrants.
During the hearing, public prosecutor Irfan Ahmad told the court that Pawan Gupta's curative has been rejected by the Supreme Court adding that the second mercy petition of Pawan and Akshay Singh Thakur has not been entertained by the President of India.
Advocate AP Singh, appearing for the convicts, apprised the court about the pending cases in different courts and sought a stay on the execution due to the impact of coronavirus spread on the functioning of courts.
Judge Dharmender Rana, during the hearing, asked advocate AP Singh under which legal provision should the death warrant be stayed.
Ahmad, on the other hand, opposed the application saying it is not maintainable.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court also dismissed three petitions in the matter.
This comes as the four convicts -- Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh Thakur, Vinay Sharma and Pawan Gupta -- are scheduled to be hanged at 5.30 am on March 20.
The case pertains to the brutal gang-rape and killing of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people including a juvenile in the national capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.
( With inputs from ANI )