Timeline of the Nirbhaya case — the seven year march to justice

Following is the chronology of events in the sensational 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case in which four death row convicts were hanged Friday morning:

Dec 16, 2012: Paramedical student gang-raped and brutally assaulted by six men in a private bus and thrown out of the moving vehicle along with her male friend. The victim is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital.

Dec 29: Victim succumbs to injuries and other medical conditions. Police add murder charge in FIR.

Jan 2, 2013: Then Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir inaugurates fast track court (FTC) for speedy trial in sexual offence cases.

Aug 31: JJB convicts a minor for gang-rape and murder and awards three-year term at probation home.

Sep 10: Delhi court convicts Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan of 13 offences including gang-rape, unnatural offence and murder of the girl and attempt to murder her male friend.

Sep 13: Court awards death penalty to all 4 convicts.

Mar 13: HC upholds death penalty to the 4 convicts.

Mar 15: SC stays execution of 2 convicts, Mukesh and Pawan, after they file appeals. Later, stays execution of other convicts also.

Feb 3, 2017: SC says it would hear afresh the aspect of awarding death penalty to the convicts.

May 5: SC upholds death penalty to four convicts, says the case falls under the category of 'rarest of rare' and the offence created "tsunami of shock".

Nov 8: Mukesh, one of the four death row convicts in the case, moves SC seeking review of its verdict upholding the capital punishment awarded to him.

Dec 15: Convicts Vinay Sharma and Pawan Kumar Gupta move SC for review of its verdict.

Jul 9: SC dismisses review pleas of three convicts.

Feb, 2019: Victim's parents move Delhi court for issuance of death warrants of the four convicts

Dec 10, 2019: Akshay moves plea in SC seeking review of his death penalty.

Dec 18: SC dismisses Akshay's review plea.

Delhi court directs Tihar authorities to issue notice to convicts to avail their remaining legal remedies.

Dec 19: Delhi HC dismisses plea of Pawan Kumar Gupta claiming he was a juvenile at the time of the offence.


Jan 6, 2020: Delhi court dismisses complaint filed by Pawan's father seeking FIR against sole witness for allegedly deposing falsely.

Jan 7: Delhi court issues death warrants against the four convicts for hanging on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar jail.

Jan 14: SC rejects curative petition of Vinay and Mukesh.

Mukesh files mercy petition before President.

Jan 17: President Ram Nath Kovind rejects Mukesh's mercy plea.

Tihar jail authorities seeks fresh date of hanging, trial court fixes Feb 1, 6 AM for execution.

Jan 25: Mukesh moves SC against rejection of mercy plea.

Jan 29: Akshay approaches SC with curative petition.

SC rejects plea of Mukesh challenging rejection of his mercy plea.

Jan 30: SC dismisses curative plea of Akshay.

Jan 31: SC dismisses Pawan's plea seeking review of its order rejecting his juvenility claim.

Delhi court again postpones execution of the black warrants till further order.

Feb 5: HC dismisses Centre's plea against trial court order; says all 4 convicts have to be hanged together. It directs convicts to pursue all legal remedies within a week, failing which the authorities ordered to take action in accordance with law.

Centre, Delhi govt move SC challenging HC verdict on hanging of convicts.

Feb 6: Tihar authorities move court for fresh death warrants, trial court seeks convicts response.

Feb 7: Delhi court dismisses Tihar's plea seeking fresh date for execution of convicts.

Feb 11: Vinay moves SC challenging rejection of mercy plea.

Victim's parents move Delhi court seeking fresh death warrant for convicts.

Feb 13: Pawan refuses lawyer from DLSA as legal aid, jail authorities inform trial court.

SC appoints senior advocate Anjana Prakash as amicus to represent Pawan.

Vinay claims mental illness in SC, Centre says he has sound mind.

Feb 14: SC dismisses Vinay's plea challenging rejection of mercy petition.

Feb 17: Mukesh refuses to be represented by advocate Vrinda Grover.

Delhi court issues fresh death warrants for March 3.

Feb 28: Pawan files curative plea in SC

Mar 2: SC dismisses curative petition of Pawan. He files mercy plea.

Delhi court defers hanging of 4 death row convicts till further order.

Mar 4: Delhi govt moves court seeking fresh date for execution of cnvicts.

Mar 5: Delhi court fixes Mar 20 as date of execution of convicts.

Mar 6: Mukesh moves SC seeking restoration of his legal remedies.

Mar 11: Pawan moves court for FIR against cops for alleged prison assault.

Mar 12: Pawan's father moves HC against rejection of complaint for FIR against sole witness.

Mar 13: Vinay moves HC claiming procedural lapse in mercy plea rejection.

Mar 16: SC rejects Mukesh's plea seeking restoration of legal remedies.

3 death row convicts move ICJ seeking stay on execution.

Mar 17: Mukesh moves court seeking quashing of death penalty on claim of not being in Delhi at the time of crime, plea dismissed.

Pawan moves SC with fresh curative petition and Akshay files second mercy petition.

Mar 18: Mukesh moves HC against trial court's Mar 17 order, plea dismissed.

Pawan, Vinay and Akshay seek stay on death penalty, Delhi court issues notice to Tihar, Police.

Mar 19: SC rejects curative petition of Pawan.

Mukesh moves SC claiming he was not in Delhi on Dec 16, 2012, plea dismissed.

Delhi court dismisses plea of Pawan, Vinay and Akshay seeking stay of execution.

SC dismisses Akshay's plea challenging rejection of second mercy petition.

Mar 20: Delhi HC dismisses plea of three convicts seeking stay on execution, convicts move SC.

In a pre-dwan hearing, SC brings down curtain on the case by rejecting plea of Pawan Gupta against rejection of second mercy plea.

All four convicts hanged in Tihar jail at 5.30 am.