New Delhi: Despite a last ditch effort by the Delhi Commission for Women to block it through a stay order from the Supreme Court and massive protests by the victim's distraught parents and others in the national capital, the juvenile convict of the horrific December 16 gang-rape case was on Sunday released and sent to an NGO.
The convict was released after the Supreme Court in a post-midnight order declined to stay the release of the juvenile offender in response to a Special Leave Petition filed by the the Delhi Commission for Women.
In their order pronounced at 2 AM, a vacation bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit declined to give an urgent hearing to the Delhi Commission for Women on its petition seeking a stay on his release and posted the matter for hearing on Monday.
The juvenile, along with five other men, is out of the correctional home, Delhi Police said on Sunday.
Police, however, said they were not aware of his whereabouts at present.
"The juvenile was shifted from the reformation home around 4-5 days back. He was taken to an undisclosed location and was under the observation of an NGO," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North District) Madhur Verma told IANS.
"Now police do not have any information where he is," he added.
Government sources said he will be under the care of an NGO till the Delhi Government finalises a rehabilitation plan for the convict who is now 20 years old and was known to be the most brutal of the six attackers.
Government sources added that when asked two days back whether he would like to go home in Badaun in Uttar Pradesh or to an NGO, the juvenile convict had opted for the latter citing security concerns, as per PTI.
The juvenile, who was under 18 years of age when he was held with five other men for the brutal rape and murder of the paramedical student on December 16, 2012, was tried under the Juvenile Justice Act.
He was put in a remand home for three years, the maximum per missible under the legal provisions.
Of the six, one was found dead in Tihar Jail. A trial court had awarded death penalty to the other four rapists which was upheld by the high court.
Their appeals are pending before the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the parents of Nirbhaya were detained by police today while they were protesting against the release of the juvenile convict.
Earlier, Badrinath said he had no hope.
"We have no hope... the dead will not become alive. But this is a very wrong decision," he said about the convict being set free.
Asked about the fact that his criminal record has been expunged, Badrinath said, "Records can be wiped from papers, but how will it be removed from the minds of the people?"
"How many more rapes, how many more murders will have to take place for the government to change laws related to juveniles. I want (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji to consider giving us two minutes (for a meeting)," said Asha Devi, mother of the victim.
(With Agency inputs)
