NEW DELHI: In a twist in the 2012 Nirbhaya case, Vinay Sharma, one of the convicts, has moved a plea, seeking withdrawal of his mercy petition, claiming that he did not sign the document.
According to a letter sent to President Ram Nath Kovind, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Lt. Governor and Chief Minister of Delhi, the mercy petition forwarded for the perusal of the authorities was sent without any authorisation and legal representative, or consent by Sharma.
Sharma’s lawyer AP Singh alleged conspiracy by the Delhi government, claiming this was done keeping in view the elections in Delhi. Seeking cancellation of the plea that has already reached the President’s office, the advocate said Sharma is yet to exhaust legal remedies available to him, pointing out the convict is yet to file a curative petition.
“I met Vinay on Friday. He told me and also gave me a letter saying, he has not authorised any mercy petition. This is a conspiracy by government for electoral gains. How can one file mercy petition before exhausting all legal remedies? Sharma is yet to file curative petition in the Supreme Court,” Singh said.
Nirbhaya’s family members, especially her mother Asha Devi, have been saying that the culprits must be hanged to death at the earliest.