Nirbhaya case: Delhi court-appointed advocate Ravi Qazi to represent one of the death-row convicts

A Delhi court on Thursday appointed advocate Ravi Qazi to represent one of the death-row convicts, Pawan Gupta, in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case after his erstwhile lawyer denied him legal aid. The court gave Pawan the “liberty to choose” his counsel from the list of impaneled advocates of the Delhi State Legal Service Authority on Wednesday. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana appointed Qazi after he was apprised that the death-row convict has refused to avail legal aid offered by DSLA. Public Prosecutor Irfan Ahmad told the court, “The jail authorities approached Pawan but he refused to take legal aid and specifically said that he will not opt for a government lawyer.” The case pertains to the gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old girl in the national capital in December 2012. Out of the four convicts, Pawan is the only one who has not yet availed of the remedy of either curative or mercy petitions, which will be the last judicial and constitutional resort available to him. (IANS)

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