Nibhaya rape convict Vinay Sharma seeks mercy before President
As the hanging date of four convicts in the Nirbhaya case approaches, the death-row convicts are taking to legal remedies to delay their execution. The four convicts - Vinay Sharma (26), Akshay Singh (31), Mukesh Kumar Singh (32) and Pawan (26), who were earlier set for hanging on January 22, will now be hanged on February 1, at 6 am. Though all convicts have filed their mercy petitions, as of now, their hanging on the said date is confirmed.
A few days ago, Nirbhaya case convict Vinay Sharma's paintings and diary had caught the news headlines. Lodged in Tihar jail, Vinay Sharma had drawn some paintings, which depicted the unfortunate December 16 gangrape. Four hanging ropes were also drawn by Sharma. In addition, he had also written a diary and had labelled the same as 'Darinda'.
Vinay Sharma has now filed a mercy plea before the President, in which he has pleaded for his life. His hand-written note states, "I want to live for my parents, even if it means spending a lifetime in jail. I don't want to be hanged because the jail-term and the years of struggle have already taught me my lesson."
Here's what Vinay Sharma wrote in his mercy plea
"President Sir you have the right to grant me my life. I am submitting this letter with the hope that your good self will listen to my story when nobody did. Sir, this is the last chance and I have to tell how the terrible circumstances of the fateful day, December 16, 2012, which caused so much pain and suffering to everyone involved and many others, changed my life forever. I want to tell you all this so that you can decide whether death is the only punishment that I deserve. I can serve my aged parents by even being in jail; they have no one, but me. I have improved a lot in jail and I would readily accept any punishment, other than hanging. I feel I have already died several times in prison during the pendency of judicial proceedings and cannot even narrate my ordeal, of what has happened with me inside the prison premises. The first day itself, when I was admitted to jail, I was beaten up badly by the on-duty Tamil Nadu special police personnel. There were a total of 6 persons in this cell and now I have put in an isolated cell, but I'm working on myself and am trying to become a good human and a responsible citizen. The jail authorities earlier took me as a bad person, but even they now are of the fact that I am responsible enough. I have worked for them in jail and now you are to decide for my fate. I have served other prisoners who were surviving under the burden of their crimes. I have planted more than 200 trees within the jail premises. I have never been involved in any disputes inside the jail. I had even won a gold medal which my father was extremely happy to see. You can see the paintings I've drawn in jail and I'm sending you those to see and believe. Everyone deserves at least one chance to work on their mistakes and you have a big heart. I assure I will work hard inside the jail and will give all my earned money to my parents, which will be a support to them as well. My parents have seen enough misfortunes in their life and my small mistake has brought me here today. I swear on my mother and assure that I won't do any bad to anyone, nor will I support any wrongdoing. I am sending you my mercy plea in the hope of being granted my life. You are my last hope in this case and I will accept whatever decision you make. Your positive words on this will be a life saviour for three people - me, my mother and my father."
Vinay Sharma has also alleged that he and other convicts in the Nirbhaya case were brutally tortured and one of them was also sexually abused in the jail.
Along with the mercy plea, Vinay has also annexed his handwritten letter addressed to the President.
The 23-year-old woman, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya', the fearless one, was gangraped and savagely assaulted on the night of December 16, 2012, in a moving bus in south Delhi. She died of her injuries a fortnight later in a Singapore hospital.
The trial court on January 17 issued black warrants for the second time for the execution of all the four convicts -- Mukesh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) -- in Tihar jail at 6 am on February 1. The court earlier on January 7 fixed January 22 as the hanging date.
Also Read | Nirbhaya case convicts tight-lipped on last wishes ahead of hanging on February 1
