Amid uncertainty over date of execution, Nirbhaya case convicts shifted to Tihar's Jail No 3

New Delhi: Amid the uncertainty over the date of execution of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, all the four criminals facing death-row have been shifted to Tihar Central Prison's complex`s jail number 3 where their hanging would take place.

The Tihar Jail administration informed on Thursday that preparations for the execution of all four Nirbhaya case convicts - Vinay Sharma, Akshay Kumar Singh, Mukesh Kumar Singh and Pawan Gupta - are in full swing. They all have been locked in the same jail - for the first time.

The convicts, however, have been lodged in different cells even in the same jail, and not together.

According to the Tihar Jail Directorate sources, "Since they would be taken to the execution chamber at the same time, extreme vigilance and peace will be exercised so that the four convicts can`t create any trouble."

Since the four criminals are set to be hanged together - for the first time - in the execution chamber, the presence of jail officers and staffers would be more.

Also, the crowd is expected to be more than usual on the day of execution.

However, in a related development, a Delhi Court directed the Tihar jail authorities to file a proper report by January 17 about the status of the scheduled execution of four convicts of Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case. 

The court passed the directions after it was informed by jail authorities that they have written to Delhi government on the issue of the scheduled execution of the convicts on January 22 in view of pending remedies.

Ahead of that, Delhi Lieutenant Governor rejected the mercy plea of Mukesh. According to reports, Mukesh's mercy plea was first rejected by the Delhi government, which forwarded the same to the Lieutenant Governor recommending ''rejection''. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal accepted the recommendation of the Delhi Government and forwarded the file to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The MHA sources later confirmed that the ministry has received mercy petition of Nirbhaya gangrape-murder case convict Mukesh Singh from Delhi government.

It is learnt that his mercy plea is currently under process and the MHA will send it to President Ram Nath Kovind with its recommendation.

On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had refused to stay death warrants after the state government said that it "can't hang convicts on January 22." While refusing to set aside the death warrant issued for the hanging of four Nirbhaya gangrape-murder convicts, the high court said that convict Mukesh Singh could approach the trial court, which issued the death warrant. 

The HC also said that it found nothing wrong in the death warrants issued by Delhi's Patiala House court for the hanging of four convicts. The four convicts - Vinay Sharma (26), Mukesh Kumar (32), Akshay Kumar Singh (31) and Pawan Gupta (25) - are to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am.