New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today refused to stay the release of the juvenile convicted in the 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case.
A division bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said the convict, who was found to be a juvenile at the time of the crime, cannot be kept at the observation home beyond December 20, the date he was set to be released.
"There can't be any direction to extend the stay beyond December 20," said the bench.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and the Centre had asked the High Court to extend the observation home stay of the juvenile convict, saying several mandatory aspects were missing from the post-release rehabilitation plan which needed to be considered before setting him free.
The victim's family had also demanded that the juvenile's release be stayed as allowing him to walk out free would be injustice to their daughter.
"Crime has won and we have lost," Nirbhaya's family said reacting to the Delhi High Court judgment that paved the way for the release of the juvenile
convict, who is now a major, on Sunday.
"Despite all our efforts for three years, our government and our courts have released a criminal. The assurance we were given that we would get justice has not been delivered. We are very disappointed.
"We haven't seen him, not met him, but despite all our efforts, the criminal will walk free," Asha Devi, mother of the victim, said, adding that their three-year-old battle for justice has gone in vain.
The juvenile completes his three-year term in the observation home on December 20. The horrific incident had sent ripples down the entire country. Thousands had protested in the national capital forcing some changes in the laws governing rape and crime against women in India.
