16 Dec case: Convicts invoke Mahatma to oppose death penalty
13 Nov 2013 4:50 AM IST
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, two of the convicts on death row for the brutal torture and gang rape of a 23-year-old paramedical student on 16 December, 2102, contested the trial court’s sentence on Monday, telling the Delhi high court even the father of the nation was against capital punishment.
Commencing the arguments for convicts Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur before a bench of justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani, advocate A P Singh said awarding ‘death penalty will not stop crime in society’ and the duo don’t deserve deterrent punishment in this case.
Quoting Gandhi, advocate Singh argued, ‘I cannot in all conscience agree to any one being sent to the gallows. God alone can take a life because he alone gives it,’ Singh argued that death penalty is not the solution to stop crime.
‘Death penalty will kill the criminals but that will not stop the crime in the society,’ the lawyer said adding that the death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights.
The court is hearing the final arguments on a day-to-day basis on the trial court’s reference to it for confirmation of death sentence awarded to four convicts- Mukesh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Vinay and Akshay as well as their appeals against the trial court’s judgement. Additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna had held the four accused guilty of gang rape and ‘cold blooded’ murder of a ‘defenceless’ girl in a premeditated manner.
Commencing the arguments for convicts Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur before a bench of justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani, advocate A P Singh said awarding ‘death penalty will not stop crime in society’ and the duo don’t deserve deterrent punishment in this case.
Quoting Gandhi, advocate Singh argued, ‘I cannot in all conscience agree to any one being sent to the gallows. God alone can take a life because he alone gives it,’ Singh argued that death penalty is not the solution to stop crime.
‘Death penalty will kill the criminals but that will not stop the crime in the society,’ the lawyer said adding that the death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights.
The court is hearing the final arguments on a day-to-day basis on the trial court’s reference to it for confirmation of death sentence awarded to four convicts- Mukesh, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Vinay and Akshay as well as their appeals against the trial court’s judgement. Additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna had held the four accused guilty of gang rape and ‘cold blooded’ murder of a ‘defenceless’ girl in a premeditated manner.
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