Nirbhaya case: SC dismisses Vinay Sharma's plea challenging rejection of mercy petition

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Friday dismissed Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case convict Vinay Sharma's plea challenging rejection of his mercy petition by the President alleging that it was done in a "mala fide" manner.

A bench of Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and A S Bopanna said no ground of judicial review of rejection of mercy petition is made out by Sharma, one of the four death row convicts in the 2012 case.

All material including Sharma's medical report placed before President who applied his mind in rejection of mercy plea, the apex court said. The top court rejected the contention of Sharma that he is mentally ill and said his medical report suggests he is stable.

The trial court had on January 31 stayed "till further orders" execution of the four convicts in the case—Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31)—who are lodged in Tihar Jail.