The Supreme Court on Friday (February 14) rejected Nirbhaya convict Vinay Sharma's plea challenging the rejection of his mercy petition bythe President Ram Nath Kovind. A bench led by Justice R Banumathi and comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna rejected Sharma's plea.

Advocate AP Singh, representing Vinay Sharma had submitted that his client was mentally unfit and the concerned documents were not presented before the President. Singh contended that Sharma was undergoing psychological problems due to ill-treatment and solitary confinement in jail,which was in violation of the prison norms.

Singh cited the Supreme Court`s 2014 judgement in Shatrughan Chauhan, which held that death sentences of convicts suffering from mental illness should be commuted.

Sharma, one of the four convicts on death row in the 2012case, moved the apex court on February 11, challenging the rejection of hismercy petition by the president and claimed the 'hurried rejection' was 'malafide' and violated the letter and spirit of the Constitution.