New Delhi:  The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is in the process of rejecting the mercy plea filed by one of the accused in the rape and murder of Nirbhaya. Nirbhaya, a 23-year-old paramedic student, was raped and murdered in New Delhi on Dec. 16, 2012. 

Vinay Sharma, one of the five accused has sought mercy from the death penalty from President Ram Nath Kovind. The President decides on the plea in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Government. Sources in the MHA said that they are in process of sending their recommendation to reject the plea. The Delhi Government has already sent its recommendation to reject the mercy petition.

On Oct. 29, Tihar Jail authorities had informed four of the five convicts that they have exhausted all legal remedies and they could not file for mercy petition with the President. 

Only one, Vinay Sharma, filed the mercy plea, three others – Pawan Gupta, Akshay Thakur and Mukesh Singh —chose not to. 

The President now awaits MHA’s recommendation.