Nirbhaya case: DCW chief Swati Maliwal hopes juvenile offender is not released today

NEW DELHI: DCW chief Swati Maliwal hoped that the juvenile offender in the December 16 gangrape case will not walk free today as scheduled as her plea against his release will be heard by the Supreme Court tomorrow.

In a dramatic post-midnight move, the Delhi Commission for Women had approached the Supreme Court to stay release of the juvenile convict, who is now 20 years old and was known to be the most brutal of the attackers.

"How many more Nirbhayas will we create before we change the system. Nirbhayas rapist should not be released under any circumstances today," Maliwal tweeted.

"SC accepted r petition. Matter listed on Monday as Item No 3. Case subjudice now. Nirbhaya rapist should not be released until case heard," she said in another tweet.

A vacation bench comprising Justices A K Goel and U U Lalit in their order pronounced at 2 AM, posted the matter for hearing on Monday.

The Special Leave Petition filed by DCW against the order of the Delhi High Court, which refused to restrain the release of the convict, was referred by the Chief Justice of India T S Thakur before the vacation bench.

After the order by the court, DCW chairperson and the lawyers of the women's panel hoped that since the matter has become sub judice, the government and Delhi Police will not release the juvenile offender today as scheduled.

Yesterday, the juvenile was moved out of Delhi even as distraught parents of the victim strongly kept on opposing his release. The parents were briefly detained by the police after they held a protest against the convict's release.

Sources said that the convict was taken to an undisclosed location from a correction home in North Delhi amid concerns that there was threat to his life.

They said the juvenile has been kept under observation of an NGO under protection of Delhi Police.

When contacted, the father of the victim said that they had gathered for a peaceful demonstration near the correction home in Majnu Ka Tila against the release of the juvenile convict but the police detained them.

The convict is likely to walk free from the undisclosed location today, in adherence to the existing legal provision, the sources added. Delhi government has said it had submitted a rehabilitation plan for the juvenile convict.