July 9 (UPI) — India’s Supreme Court on Monday dismissed appeals by three men convicted in a six-year-old gang rape case, upholding death sentences it handed down last year.
The three men were convicted a year ago of gang raping a 23-year-old paramedic student in December 2012. They were seeking a review of the verdict with hopes to change their death sentences to life terms.
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and justices R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan rejected the petitions filed by the men — Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh — saying there were no grounds for review.
The decision affirms the Supreme Court’s May 2017 death penalty decision.
Bhushan said the three cannot re-argue the case under the false premise of a review petition, The Hindu Times reported.
The fourth man convicted in the rape, Akshay Kumar Singh, was not part of the petition for review. His attorney said he will file a separate appeal next week.
Asha Devi, the victim’s mother, told ANI, “I am very happy with the judgment.”
Devi added in a post on ANI’s Twitter page: “Our struggle does not end here. Justice is getting delayed. It’s affecting other daughters of the society. I request judiciary to tighten their judicial system, serve justice to Nirbhaya by hanging them as soon as possible & help other girls & women.”
The only remedy left for the three men is a curative petition, in which they would have to show judicial bias against them.
The rape attracted national media coverage and led to protests calling for worldwide attention to violence against women in India.
