The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved order on a petition by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against the release of the juvenile delinquent in the December 16, 2012 gangrape case. The plea said the boy should not be set free until it was “demonstrably assured” that he had reformed himself.
The Centre asked Delhi High Court to extend the observation home stay of the juvenile convict in the case who is scheduled to be released on Sunday, saying several mandatory aspects were missing from the post-release rehabilitation plan which needed to be considered before setting him free.
While issuing notices to the Centre and the juvenile through the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), the Bench had last Friday queried about the measures taken, if any, for his post-release rehabilitation. The court had also asked if a management committee had been constituted as per the Juvenile Justice Rules.
“This is not an ordinary case. It requires consideration,” the Bench had observed.
A report of the Ministry of Home Affairs had said that the juvenile had not reformed himself but had become worse, “having been radicalised by association with another juvenile convicted of involvement in the 2011 Delhi High Court blast case," the petition said.
The trial court had awarded death penalty to four convicts in the case, while the juvenile was sent to the observation home as he was below 18 years of age. The High Court later upheld the death sentence.
(With inputs from PTI)
