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16 December gang rape: SC declines urgent hearing to stop juvenile's release; DCW disappointed

News Agencies | Updated on: 14 February 2017, 2:00 IST

The juvenile offender of the horrific December 16 gangrape case is all set to walk free on Sunday as the Supreme Court refused the dramatic post-midnight move of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to stay his release by giving an urgent hearing.

A vacation bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit in their order pronounced at 2 AM, posted the matter for hearing on Monday.

However, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal and the lawyers of the women's panel hoped that since the matter has become sub judice, the government and Delhi Police will not release the juvenile offender.

"The matter has been posted for hearing on Monday as item number 3. The matter has now become sub judice. I hope that government and the Delhi Police will wait for one day and not release him," Maliwal told reporters outside the residence of Justice Goel.

"How many more Nirbhayas will we create before we change the system. Nirbhayas rapist should not be released under any circumstances today," Maliwal had tweeted earlier.

"SC accepted r petition. Matter listed on Monday as Item No 3. Case subjudice now. Nirbhaya rapist should not be released until case heard," she said in another tweet.

A vacation bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit in their order pronounced at 2 AM, posted the matter for hearing on Monday.

The Special Leave Petition filed by DCW against the order of the Delhi High Court, which refused to restrain the release of the convict, was referred by the Chief Justice of India T S Thakur before the vacation bench.

After the order by the court, DCW chairperson and the lawyers of the women's panel hoped that since the matter has become sub judice, the government and Delhi Police will not release the juvenile offender today as scheduled.

Yesterday, the juvenile was moved out of Delhi even as distraught parents of the victim strongly kept on opposing his release. The parents were briefly detained by the police after they held a protest against the convict's release.

Sources said that the convict was taken to an undisclosed location from a correction home in North Delhi amid concerns that there was threat to his life.

They said the juvenile has been kept under observation of an NGO under protection of Delhi Police.

When contacted, the father of the victim said that they had gathered for a peaceful demonstration near the correction home in Majnu Ka Tila against the release of the juvenile convict but the police detained them.

The convict is likely to walk free from the undisclosed location today, in adherence to the existing legal provision, the sources added. Delhi government has said it had submitted a rehabilitation plan for the juvenile convict.

-- PTI

First published: 20 December 2015, 2:12 IST