CJI Bobde recuses from hearing convict's plea

New Delhi: Chief Justice S A Bobde recused himself on Tuesday from hearing the plea of convict Akshay Kumar Singh seeking review of the 2017 Apex Court judgment upholding his death penalty in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case.

A special bench comprising the CJI and Justices R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan commenced hearing on the review plea Akshay, 33, while asking his lawyer A P Singh to conclude the submission within half-an-hour. After hearing the submissions for a few minutes, Justice Bobde learned the fact that his lawyer-nephew had earlier appeared in a related case on behalf of the mother of the deceased victim.

"List these matters on December 18, before another Bench of which Hon'ble the Chief Justice is not a member," the bench said in the order.