Nirbhaya case: President Ram Nath Kovind rejects mercy petition of death-row convict Vinay

President Ram Nath Kovind on February 1 rejected the mercy petition of death row-convict Vinay Kumar Sharma in the Nirbhaya case, Home Ministry officials told media persons.

Vinay Kumar, who was scheduled to face the gallows with three other convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case on February 1, had filed mercy petition before the President on January 29.

However, President Kovind rejected his mercy plea, the last resort to escape the death penalty. Last month, the president had also rejected the clemency petition of another accused, Mukesh Singh.

With this, the two of the four convicts have exhausted all legal recourse to escape the gallows. Another convict, Akshay Kumar Singh, on February 1, filed his mercy plea before the president, while the fourth convict, Pawan, is yet to take this measure.

Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay and Pawan were convicted and sentenced to death in September 2013.

They were to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar Jail, a Delhi court had announced on January 7 while issuing their death warrants.

However, the execution could not take place on the designated day as a mercy plea had been filed by Mukesh before the president.

Following rejection of Mukesh's plea, the Delhi court had issued fresh black warrants, fixing the hanging of all the four convicts on February 1, which has now been postponed indefinitely.

Reacting in anguish to the delay in the hanging, Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi has said she will continue her fight till the convicts are hanged.

"These convicts have no right to live. We keep getting disappointed by the system. I will continue my fight till the convicts are hanged," she said.