Nirbhaya rape case: The four convicts and the charges against them

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It has been seven years since the unfortunate gangrape of 23-year-old physiotherapy intern “Nirbhaya”, who was left to die on the streets of Delhi on December 16, 2019, shook the nation.

Six persons were implicated in the crime initially, of whom, Ram Singh, the main accused, died in custody. The other, a juvenile, was released after serving his time at a correctional home for three years.

Now, the entire country is debating and awaiting the impending execution of the other four convicts in the grotesque rape and murder case.

Let us take another look at the four convicts and the crimes they were convicted of.

The four men in question are Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, and Mukesh Singh. They have been found guilty of raping Nirbhaya in a moving bus and assaulting her with an iron rod before leaving her to die on the roadside after which she succumbed to her injuries a few days later at a hospital in Singapore.

Mukesh Singh was one of the drivers of the bus in which Nirbhaya was gang-raped, while Akshay Kumar Singh was the helper. Vinay Sharma, a gym instructor, lived in the same locality as Mukesh, while Pawan Gupta, a fruit seller, was acquainted with them.

All four, who will be hanged, were charged under ten sections of the Indian Penal Code. These are:

IPC 302: Murder.

IPC 376 (2)(G): Gang rape.

IPC 120B: Punishment of criminal conspiracy.

IPC 366: Kidnapping or abducting any woman with the intent that she may be compelled or knowing it to be likely that she will be compelled or seduced to illicit intercourse.

IPC 365: Kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person.

IPC 307: Attempt to murder.

IPC 201: Causing disappearance of evidence of an offense or giving false information to screen offender.

IPC 395 & 397: Robbery, or dacoity, with the attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.

IPC 412: Dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity.

The court will hear a plea seeking death warrants against the four convicts in the case.