Delhi gang-rape case: Death sentence for all four convicts

Four convicts in the December 16 Delhi gang-rape-cum-murder case were on Friday awarded death penalty by a Delhi court which said the gravity of the offence cannot be tolerated.

"Death to all," additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna said while delivering the verdict in the Delhi gang-rape case that had evoked nationwide outrage and led the government to bring in a stringent anti-rape law.

"Besides discussing others offences, I straightaway come to section 302 (murder) of IPC. This falls under inhuman nature of the convicts and the gravity of offence they committed cannot be tolerated. Death sentence is given to all the four convicts," he said.

The offence committed by Mukesh (26), Akshay Thakur (28), Pawan Gupta (19) and Vinay Sharma (20) falls under the rarest of rare category warranting capital punishment, the judge said.

The four were convicted by the court on September 10 for the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedic student.

"Court cannot turn a blind eye to such a gruesome act," the judge said, while handing down the maximum punishment to the four convicts in the Delhi gang-rape case.

He said, "When crime against women is rising on day-to-day basis, so, at this point in time court cannot keep its eye shut."

"There should be exemplary punishment in view of the unparallelled brutality with which the victim was gang raped and murdered, as the case falls under the rarest of rare category. All be given death," the court said while reading out a portion of the order.

"This is a time when serious crime against a woman has come to the fore and now its judiciary's responsibility to instil confidence among the women," it said.

Besides murder, the four have been also convicted for offences including gangrape, unnatural offences, attempt to murder, dacoity, destruction of evidence, conspiracy, kidnapping or abducting in order to murder, while acquitting them of the charge of murder in dacoity.

Immediately after pronouncement of sentence, the victim's mother expressed satisfaction over the verdict.

"Halak mein saans atki thi, jo ab bahar nikli hai. Mein dhanywaad karti hu desh ke logon ka aur media ka' (We were waiting with bated breath, now we are relieved. I thank the people of my country and the media)," she said.

Besides her, the victim's father and two brothers were also present in the jam-packed court room when the sentence was pronounced.

Hearing that he will face the gallows, Vinay started crying in court while the other three convicts-Mukesh, Pawan, Akshay-started shouting for pardon, with one of the defence lawyers A P Singh also joining them in seeking mercy.

Advocate V K Anand, who appeared for Mukesh, said he has regard for the verdict and he will file an appeal in the Delhi high court.

Special public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan said, "I have done my job and we (prosecution) are happy with the verdict."

Soon after the Delhi gang-rape verdict was delivered, people waiting outside the courtroom started clapping.

The girl's mother said that no such victim should remain silent and must come forward to lodge a complaint.

Defence counsel A P Singh said he will move high court only "if no other rape takes place in next two months after this verdict".

"If the country wanted this case to be a deterrent, I will wait for two months to see the crime scene. If no rape takes place due to death being given in the instant case, I will give in writing that my clients be hanged," he said.

Vinay, who started crying and screaming after the order, sat down in the courtroom when the police personnel came to take him back to jail.

The post-lunch work at the Saket Court had come to a standstill with court staff members and litigants eagerly waiting for the pronouncement of the quantum of sentence.

The corridors of six-storeyed court building was crowded with people.

Victim, her family got justice: Sushilkumar Shinde 

"This was the rarest of rare crime...Damini and her family have got justice. I welcome the court ruling," Shinde told reporters here. 

"The 'nyay devta' has set a new example for such culprits that if you commit such a heinous crime, then you will get a stringent punishment," the minister said.

"There was an atmosphere in the country after this incident....We expected such a punishment," Shinde said. 

source:Times of India

Petrol costlier by Rs 1.96 a litre in Delhi, oil companies indicates a price cut in 15 days

State oil firms have announced a steep increase in petrol rates, raising pump price of the fuel by Rs 1.96 a litre in Delhi and Rs 2.05 a litre in Mumbai.

New rates, which are effective from Saturday, have raised pump prices to record levels across cities.

Companies raised petrol rates nine time in last four months citing devaluation of the rupee and rising international crude oil prices.

Indian Oil Corp, country's biggest fuel retailer, said companies may consider a downward revision of the fuel rates in future because the rupee is strengthening and international crude oil rates are softening after the Syrian crisis was averted.

"Should the recent trend of stabilization and appreciation of rupee-dollar exchange rate continue and international petrol prices also not move adversely, the beneficial effect of the same will be passed on to the consumers in the next fortnight," Indian OilBSE 2.17 % said in its statement.

The fuel is priced at Rs 76.06 a litre in Delhi and Rs 83.62 in Mumbai.

Metros	Old Rate	New Rate
Mumbai	81.57	83.62
New Delhi	74.1	76.06
Kolkata	81.57	83.63
Chennai	77.48	79.55

source:Economic Times

Narendra Modi anointed BJP PM candidate, Advani disappointed

 Narendra Modi, a staunch proponent of Hinduvta, was on Friday anointed BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, ending months of suspense over his elevation amid stiff opposition by party patriarch L K Advani.

The announcement was made by BJP chief Rajnath Singh after a meeting of the party's parliamentary board which was skipped by Advani who expressed "anguish" over the way the party was functioning.

Except Advani, the meeting of the 12-member board was attended by other leaders like Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar Joshi, Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari.

The decision on Modi came on a day of fast-paced developments and back-to-back meetings and last minute efforts to bring around Advani,Joshi and Swaraj.

Making the announcement, Rajnath Singh said the decision had been taken by the parliamentary board as per the party's tradition.

The party had announced its prime ministerial candidate in 2009 elections also, he noted at a press conference here.

Modi, who will turn 63 next Tuesday, said he will work tirelessly to ensure that BJP wins the 2014 elections.

Giving a slogan "nayi sonch, nayi ummeed" (new thinking, new hope), he said the party will work for good governance and development while fighting against corruption and price rise.

Touching a sour note, an upset Advani released a letter written to the party chief almost at the same time when announcement about Modi was made.

"This afternoon when you had come to my residence to inform me about the parliamentary board meeting, I had said something about my anguish as also my disappointment over your style of functioning," the BJP veteran said in the two-para letter.

"I had told you that I will think whether I should share my thoughts with other Board members or not. Now I have decided that it is better that I do not attend today's meeting," he wrote.

Modi, flanked by Rajnath Singh, Joshi, Swaraj, Jaitley, Ananth Kumar among others, said the country is going through a "crisis" and the countrymen should support BJP to emerge from this situation.

The Gujarat strongman sought blessings of crores of people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to help BJP win.

He thanked party leadership and workers for reposing faith in him. He also expressed gratitude to NDA allies for supporting him through telephone calls.

Soon after the announcement, Modi went to meet Advani to seek his "blessings".

Advani initially appeared willing to attend the board meeting but changed his mind at the last minute, sources close to him said.

The BJP veteran had conveyed his reservations about announcing Modi's name at this juncture. He had suggested that the BJP chief ministers should be consulted on the issue and the party should wait till the forthcoming assembly elections to Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi are over.

Advani was of the view that making Modi the prime ministerial candidate will put issues like price rise and corruption- on which the BJP has attacked the Congress- on the backburner and make the controversial leader the issue.

Rajnath Singh said the decision was taken keeping in view the mood and aspirations of the people. He said the decision was taken "unanimously".

He said Advani is a respected leader and will continue to be respected. "We will keep seeking his guidance," he said.

Joshi and Swaraj, who too were said to be having reservations to Modi's projection at this juncture, changed their stand to join the majority.

Significantly, Swaraj cancelled her plan to visit Haryana on Friday morning to attend the board meeting.

Earlier, Gadkari met Rajnath Singh to discuss the issue. Later, Gadkari met Advani to persuade him on Modi's name. Swaraj and Ananth Kumar also joined the meeting.

Joshi was asked to return to the capital by a special flight from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh where he had gone to attend a party programme.

Modi got a shot in the arm on Friday when NDA allies Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal extended their support to him for the PM candidate post.

source:Times of India