Justice delivered, says Javedkar on Nirbhaya verdict

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javedkar has welcomed the court decision in the Nirbhaya case. "Justice delivered to #Nirbhaya," Javedkar tweeted.

"A Delhi Court's verdict to execute 4 convicts will empower women and strengthen people's faith on judiciary". #nirbhayaverdict," the Minister said.

The court on Tuesday issued death warrants to all the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case and set 7 a.m. on January 22 for execution at Delhi's Tihar Jail.

The court has given 14 days for legal recourse, which included filing of mercy plea to the President.

Patiala House Court Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora issued the death warrants to Pawan Gupta, Mukesh Singh, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur.

The convicts' lawyers said they would move a curative petition in the Supreme Court. The convicts can also submit mercy petition to the President.

A 23-year-old woman was gang-raped and tortured on December 16, 2012, which led to her death. Six accused had been arrested and charged with sexual assault and murder.

While one accused, a minor, appeared before a juvenile justice court, another committed suicide in Tihar Jail.

The four convicts were sentenced to death by a trial court in September 2013. The verdict was confirmed by the Delhi High Court in March 2014 and upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2017, which also dismissed their review petitions.