SC dismisses plea in December 16 gang-rape case

New Delhi, Dec 21 The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea for halting the release of the juvenile accused in the December 16, 2012 gang-rape.

The family of the young woman who was brutally gang-raped said it will continue its fight for justice.

"We share your concern," an apex court's vacation bench of Justice A.K. Goel and Justice U.U. Lalit said, while dismissing the plea filed by the Delhi Commission for Women.

The convict in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, who is now 20 years old, was a juvenile when he committed the heinous crime in 2012 along with his friends in a moving bus in the national capital.

He was tried under the Juvenile Justice Act and ordered to be kept in a remand home for three years. He was released on December 20.

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal, who filed the plea in the apex court for a halt on his release, said the (central) government had failed the women of the country.

"The government has failed the women of the country... It is a dark day for the entire nation," Maliwal told the media outside the Supreme Court.

"The time for candle marches is over; it is now time for women to take up 'mashaal' (torchlight)," she added.

The deceased rape victim's mother expressed dissatisfaction over the Supreme Court ruling on Monday, saying such verdict will encourage crime against women in society.

"All I have to say is that the plea, which was rejected by all three courts, will encourage more such crimes to be committed in society against women."

"There is no provision (to convict juveniles) or to punish them. They (courts) are more concerned about the accused. Women have been cheated and they continue to be cheated. Nobody wants to do anything on women's safety," Nirbhaya's mother said after the verdict.

"I will continue to fight to bring changes in the law," she said.

"Let's see what happens in the future. As of now only one convict has been released. There are four more convicts. I appeal to the Supreme Court that although the juvenile has been released since there is no provision to convict him further, please convict them (other four) and hang them and give justice to Nirbhaya," she added.