Akshay Thakur, one of the four convicts in the December 16 gang-rape case whose death penalty was confirmed by the Supreme Court last week, is still hopeful of a reprieve by the President. However, co-convicts Pawan and Mukesh are more “realistic”.
As far as legal options before the convicts are concerned, they can first file a review petition before the Supreme Court.
A Presidential pardon is the final recourse in the event their review petition is rejected.
Hopes crushed
Officials and personnel of jail number 2, where the trio are lodged, spoke to The Hindu and recounted the reactions of these inmates.
They said Akshay was quite upset when he heard about the Supreme Court order as he was certain that his death sentence would be commuted to life imprisonment.
“They learnt about it [the verdict] from the jail staff. He was visibly upset but didn’t cry. Mukesh and Pawan said they had anticipated it all along and were more composed. Their stoic approach was different from what we have seen in the past,” said an official.
For most of his prison stay, Akshay has been working at the jail’s flour mill. Even on the day of the verdict, he reported for work and that’s where he discussed the possibility of a Presidential pardon.
Mukesh and Pawan are also expected to appeal, but officials said they are “less optimistic and more realistic” about it.
Despite the “brutality” of his crime, Akshay is viewed in a relatively more sympathetic light by prison inmates and officials compared to his co-convicts.
Convicts’ world
Pawan works in the dry canteen, which is more of a store where some articles are sold, while Mukesh is a housekeeper, which doesn’t require him to come out of his ward. Vinay, sources said, is pursuing graduation.
Each convict can work at different units in Tihar and earn ₹300 per day.
The wages are transferred to their linked accounts or can be used to buy some permitted articles in jail using bank-linked smart cards.
