Nirbhaya case: Convict claims mental illness

New Delhi : One of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case claimed in the Supreme Court on Thursday that while rejecting his mercy plea the President did not consider his mental illness following torture in jail, an allegation denied by the Centre saying "he is fit and has sound mind".

Vinay Sharma through his counsel made a last ditch effort to escape from the gallows claiming that all the relevant records were not brought before the President including that he had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment in jail due to which he had developed mental illness.

The Centre however opposed his claim and produced a medical report dated February 12 which said he was fit and had a sound mind.

A bench of Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and A S Bopanna, which reserved its order on Sharma's plea challenging the rejection of his mercy petition by President said it will pronounce the verdict on Friday at 2 PM.

The top court also rejected Sharma's counsel A P Singh's request to peruse the original file of recommendation made by the Lieutenant Governor and Delhi home minister Satyendra Jain for rejection of his mercy petition.

"Though the Court has informed counsel that Home Minister of Government of NCT of Delhi and Lieutenant Governor have signed the proposal on the mercy petition, counsel insisted upon on looking into the original files.