Nirbhaya convicts seek quashing of death penalty citing second mercy plea

The counsel for the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case moved a court on Wednesday seeking quashing of their death penalty, saying the second mercy plea of one of them is still pending.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana issued notices to the Tihar jail authorities and the police on the plea and said he will hear it tomorrow.

Convict Akshay Singh had on Tuesday filed a second mercy petition before President Ram Nath Kovind.

On the same day, another convict, Pawan Gupta had also moved the Supreme Court with a curative petition against the dismissal of his review plea rejecting his juvenility claim.

The convicts -- Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay (31) -- are scheduled to be hanged on March 20 at 5.30 am.