'Why different standards for Delhi rape accused and MPs?'

It was their last chance to plea for mercy. A day after a fast track court found them guilty for rape and murder, the four accused in the 16 December gangrape case pleaded for lenient punishment.

A crowd of more than 100 people including journalists, lawyers and court staff anxiously waited outside court number 304 in Saket district court where the argument for sentencing continued for more than two hours.

Hearing of the matter began at 11.30 am with the prosecution making a strong pitch for the death sentence for all four accused arguing that the crime fell in “rarest of the rare” category. It was a crime which shook the conscience of the nation, argued the prosecution before additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna.

AP Singh, lawyer for Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma sought mercy for his clients, arguing that the facts of the case and not public pressure should decide if it was rarest of the rare crime. Singh said that his clients had no criminal background and should be given a chance to reform. Referring to the statement of union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde who said capital punishment was certain in this case, Singh emphasised that there was immense political pressure in this case. He raised the issue of parliamentarians with criminal backgrounds and asked why similar standards of justice delivery system were not applied for them.

He said Akshay who was a gym instructor should be treated leniently as he was of a good character. “He donated blood twice. How can someone who wants to save people’s lives, kill a girl like this?” Singh argued.

Vivek Kumar, counsel for Pawan Gupta, said that even if his client was present on the spot as alleged by the prosecution, his involvement in the crime was not proved. He argued that Gupta had no criminal antecedents and was under the influence of alcohol when the crime is said to have taken place.

Mukesh Singh’s lawyer VK Anand pleaded that Singh was merely driving the bus and it was his brother Ram Singh who committed rape.

Ram Singh, the driver of the bus in which the paramedical student was brutally raped, was found dead inside the Tihar jail premises.

The final verdict in the case will be delivered on Friday 2.30 pm.

There were tense moments outside the court premises as many groups shouted slogans demanding capital punishment for the rapists. Some protesters also manhandled advocate AP Singh.

The 23 year girl was gangraped and her male friend was brutally beaten aboard a moving bus on the night of 16 December. While her male friend survived the tragedy, the gangrape victim died two weeks later in a Simgapore hospital.