New Delhi, Jan 15: The four convicts in Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case of 2012 may not be hanged on January 22, as scheduled. Though the Patiala House Court here has issued the death warrant, the execution may be deferred, as apprehended by the legal experts following the contention of the Delhi government.

Delhi government has argued that the execution of Nirbhaya case convicts would not be possible as the petition for grant of reprieve is pending before the President of India. As per the prison rules, the government would have to wait till the disposal of the reprieve petition. Only after that, the death sentence can be executed. The government would do whatever permissible under law.

Mukesh, one of the convicts in Nirbhaya case, had filed the reprieve petition on Tuesday soon after the curative petitions of him and Vinay Sharma were rejected by the Supreme Court. The petition is pending so far.

Besides, Mukesh has filed a petition in Delhi High Court challenging the death warrant issued by the Additional Sessions Judge. Mukesh’s lawyer Virendra Grover has argued in the petition that he has applied to President of India for grant of pardon. Even if his petition for reprieve is rejected, he should be allowed 14 days notice period.

In view of all these reasons, the hanging of the 4 Nirbhaya case convicts may be delayed, as apprehended by the legal experts.

It may be recalled that Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Singh were convicted by the Patiala House Court for raping and killing a paramedical student of Delhi in a running bus in 2012 December. However, a minor convict was released from jail after serving sentence for three years.