And while Nirbhaya’s attack has brought attention and some action to what critics see as India’s mild punishments for rape and sexual assault, protesters say the juvenile’s three-year stint in a juvenile home suggests India’s chaotic justice system stands to improve.
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“Not only in India, but also overseas, people do not want his release, as he had not done the act of a juvenile. Once that didn’t lead to any decision on Nirbhaya rapist, filed case in SC (sic)”, tweets Swati Maliwal. “I request you to kindly not precipitate the matter until the same is heard by Supreme Court tomorrow”. While the apex court agreed to hear its plea on Monday, they refused to stay the now 20-year-old’s release on Sunday.
A vacation bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit in their order pronounced at 2 AM, posted the matter for hearing on Monday.
The BBC’s Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says the release has been opposed by many people, including the parents of the victim, who were prevented by police from carrying out a protest rally in central Delhi earlier on Sunday.
A management committee headed by the district child protection officer (District Child Protection Unit), set up as per the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Rules, had prepared a “post release plan” with respect to the juvenile convicts that was submitted to the Delhi high court. The victim’s mother said that all that she demanded was justice.
Apprising the Principal Magistrate of the JJB, Murari Singh, Ms. Maliwal wrote that the DCW has moved a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court on late Saturday night, challenging the release of the juvenile convict.
In the petition, Kamath said there are other legal points raised to challenge the High Court order. They stated the juvenile has been stored underneath remark of an NGO underneath safety of Delhi Police.
According to reports, the convict, who is now 21, was shifted from Timarpur reforms home in Delhi to an undisclosed location over security concerns a few days ago.
The convict is likely to to be released from the undisclosed location today, in adherence to the existing legal provision, the sources added.
“I am shocked to learn that Nirbhaya’s parents have been detained”.
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The parents of the victim held a protest at Jantar Mantar. “They shud immediately be released”, tweeted Kejriwal.
