SC dismisses PIL seeking direction on organ donation by 4 death row convicts in Nirbhaya case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday dismissed the petition filed by a former high court judge seeking a direction to Tihar jail authorities here to give an option to four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case to offer their bodies for medical research and donate their organs.
"By way of PIL you can't seek seek such direction. If they (convicts) want to do it they can express such things by themselves or through their family members," said a bench comprising Justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna.
When the counsel for petitioner -- Justice (Retd) Michael F Saldanna, former judge of the Bombay High Court -- continued with the submission, the bench said the petition by a former judge was "misconceived".
"To execute a person is the saddest part for the family. You (petitioner) want their body to cut into pieces," the bench said, adding that "have some human approach."
"Organ donation has to be voluntary," it further said.
The petitioner had asked the apex court to consider the "desirability of making it as a condition precedent in the case of all executions".
The four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya case are -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31).
On December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as ''Nirbhaya'' (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in South Delhi. She died after a fortnight.
Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar jail days after the trial began in the case.
The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.
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Two held for assaulting policemen over drinking in public
Bengaluru (PTI): Two police personnel on patrolling duty were allegedly abused and assaulted by a group of four youths after being asked not to consume alcohol in a public place, police said on Wednesday.
Two of the accused -- an engineering student and a software engineer, both in their 20s -- have been arrested in the case, they said.
Efforts are being made to nab the other two suspects, who have been identified, police added.
The incident occurred in the early hours of May 1, when the two personnel, attached to Amrutahalli police station, were patrolling on a two-wheeler near Akashavani Layout, they said.
According to police, while patrolling around 3 am, they noticed four youths who had stopped their car on the road and were consuming alcohol. When they were told to leave, as drinking alcohol in a public place is not permitted, one among them suddenly started abusing them.
When the policemen attempted to take out their lathi from the vehicle, the youths allegedly caught hold of them from behind, grabbed and dragged them, and tore one of their uniforms, the FIR stated.
They assaulted them with their hands and with rings worn, causing injuries to their faces. They also kicked them, causing pain, it said.
Thereafter, the accused allegedly snatched the key of their vehicle, pushed them to the ground, and fled the scene in their car at high speed, police said.
The policemen then immediately went to a hospital for treatment and lodged a complaint against four unknown youths, following which an FIR was registered against them under Sections 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 304 (snatching), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
"We have arrested two people in the case and efforts are being made to nab the other two suspects who have been identified," a senior police officer said.
