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CRIMES

into overdrive while women
organizations began sensi-
tizing all stake holders. Some
change was there to be seen.
Now there was no belittling
of victims but change in the
mindset of people who are
now raising voice against
perpetrators of crime.
However, shoddy investi-
gations and long delays have
resulted in putting a half to
economic background should have been cused in the case, Ram Singh, allegedly crime against women. The
considered as mitigating factors. committed suicide in the Tihar Jail . A ju- Hyderabad case woke up the authorities
The Apex Court has commuted death venile, who was among the accused, was from their slumber once again. The Vice-
penalty to life imprisonment in 17 other convicted by a juvenile justice board and President of India, M.Venkaiah Naidu
cases of rape and murder, including that was released from a reformation home had to vehemently observe that “there
of minors. Same relief should be granted after serving a three-year term. can not be instant justice, but there can-
to Vinay, the plea mentions. Now when the date of execution fi- not be constant delays in justice delivery
The Delhi court had earlier issued the nally fixed and the case witnessing a clo- either, else people become restive and
death warrants against the four death sure, the question remains regarding the try to take law in their hands”.
row convicts — Mukesh (32), Pawan Gup- safety of women. Can we say that women Even in Delhi case, it has taken seven
ta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Ku- are safe now? The brutal gang rape and years for the justice delivery system
mar Singh (31). What would be the fate of murder had pricked the collective con- to find a closure. Delhi’s Patiala House
the curative petition would become clear science of the nation and there were Court had on December 18 declined to
only when judgment is delivered but in protests through the country. give death warrants to the four convicts
legal parlance it is concerned the last Stringent laws were made in the in the gang rape and murder case al-
available legal remedy. aftermath of the case. The Criminal lowing them time to access their legal
Already, the Supreme Court had on Amendment Act (2013) and the Sexual remedies.
December 18 dismissed the plea of one Harassment at Workplace Act (2013) as The court had directed Tihar Jail au-
of the accuseds Akshay seeking review also the institution of the Justice Verma thorities to issue a fresh notice to the
of its decision. Committee came after people took to convicts to file mercy petitions and ad-
The 23-year-old paramedic student streets after the gruesome incident. journed the matter for January 7.
was gang raped and brutally assaulted But has all these stopped crime The Supreme Court has already con-
on the intervening night of December against women? Unfortunately, nothing firmed death penalty for all the four
16-17, 2012 inside a moving bus in south seems to have changed as heinous rape convicts. The court found no merit in
Delhi’s Munirka by six persons before be- cases are being reported from different conducting the review and upheld the
ing thrown out on the road. parts of the country. As masses cried for capital punishment given by the trial
She was travelling with her friend, safety of women, the government went court and confirmed by the Delhi High
Awindra Pratap Pandey. As they Court in the case.
came out after watching a movie But in December, Chief
“Life of Pi”, they searched for a public Justice of India SA Bobde had
transport and were summoned by Ending the seven-year wait for justice, recused himself from hearing
the youngest of six persons to board a Delhi court has issued death a petition in the rape and mur-
the ill-fated bus. Once they boarded der case as his nephew Arjun
the bus, six men shut off the lights, warrants against all the four Bobde appeared for the victim.
locked the doors, beat up the two convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape and The court then constituted an-
with iron rods before committing other bench to hear the review
the gang rape. She died on Decem- murder case. Akshay Thakur Singh, petition. Earlier, a three-judge
ber 29, 2012 at Mount Elizabeth Hos- bench of the Supreme Court,
pital in Singapore. Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay headed by Chief Justice Sharad
On July 9 last year, the Supreme Sharma, who were found guilty in the Arvind Bobde also comprising
Court had dismissed the review Justice Ashok Bhushan and Jus-
pleas filed by the other three con- rape and murder of a Delhi medical tice R Banumathi was hearing
victs in the case, saying they have student, were due to be hanged at the case.
made out no grounds for review of
the 2017 verdict. One of the six ac- 7am on January 22 LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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