Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has written to Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), asking them to delay the release of the juvenile convict in the December 16 gang-rape case.
Apprising the Principal Magistrate of the JJB, Murari Singh, Ms. Maliwal wrote that the DCW has moved a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court on late Saturday night, challenging the release of the juvenile convict.
"The matter has been listed in the Supreme Court for Monday and is thus sub-judice."
Asking the Board to stop the process of releasing the convict, she wrote, "I request you to kindly not precipitate the matter until the case is heard on Monday."
Ms. Maliwal on Saturday night moved the petition to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of India later referred the matter to the Vacation Bench. The DCW team, at 2 a.m., then went to Justice Goel's residence as a last minute attempt to stop the convict from being released.
But Justice Goel told the team that the petition will be taken up on Monday. "We tried our best and will not give up. How can we assess that he has changed? The boy should stay in the rehab for more time," Ms. Maliwal said.
(This news report was first published in The Hindu online edition.)