India: Supreme Court upholds death sentence in rape-murder case

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Delhi High Court and trial court decision to award death to all four convicts in the December 16, 2012 gang rape and murder.

The judgment was received with an applause from those in the court.

The convicts’ lawyer, AP Singh, however, said that they will file review petition in the apex court, said the Hindustan Times yesterday.

The Supreme Court said,”If ever a case called for hanging, this was it.”

The convicts had been awarded death sentence by the fast track court, which was upheld by the Delhi High Court.

The execution had been stayed after the four convicts — Mukesh (27), Pawan (20), Vinay (21) and Akshay (29) — moved the top court.

The fifth accused, Ram Singh, had allegedly committed suicide while in jail.

The sixth accused, who was a minor at the time of crime, was granted three years in a correction facility by Juvenile Justice Board. He was released from the home in November 2015.

The gang rape and murder or 23-year-old paramedic had led to nation wide outrage and spurred to government to strengthen rape laws.