"Have Some Human Approach": Top Court On Plea Linked To Nirbhaya Convicts

The Supreme Court today rejected a petition seeking donation of organs by four convicts in the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student in Delhi dubbed "Nirbhaya" by the media, urging the petitioner to "have human approach".

"To execute a person is the saddest part for the family. You (petitioner) want their body to cut into pieces... have some human approach," said the top court, adding that "organ donation has to be voluntary".

In a petition filed by former judge MF Saldana, he had asked the top court to direct Tihar Jail authorities, where four convicts are lodged, to give an option to them to offer their bodies for medical research and donate their organs. The petitioner had also urged the court to consider the "desirability of making it as a condition precedent in the case of all executions".

Earlier today, the top court rejected a curative petition by one of the four convicts, Pawan Gupta , a day before the four convicts are scheduled to be hanged. Pawan Gupta, 25, was the only convict in the case who had not exhausted his legal options of a curative petition.

The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed the pleas filed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and Vinay Kumar Sharma that challenged the rejection of their mercy petitions. Akshay Kumar has not yet challenged the rejection of his mercy petition.

Six men, including one just short of 18, were arrested after the December 16, 2012 gangrape that shocked the nation. One of the main accused, Ram Singh, was found hanging in his jail cell. The teen was released after three years in a reform home.