New Delhi: A former Bombay High Court Justice Michael F Saldanha along with two advocates from Karnataka High Court have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the government/jail authorities to offer the four Nirbhaya rape case convicts the option to donate their bodies for medical research and organ retrieval.
The petition reads,"the death penalty that has been imposed on the accused, would only serve as a punishment for the wrong that has been committed. But rendering them an opportunity to donate their organs would serve them a reformative chance to undo the wrong by serving someone's life that is in dire need of organ transplant."
The petition further argues that organ donation can be a final chance of contrition and help in "renewing the life of another human being in an indirect way."
Citing examples of the organ donation policies practised by Singapore, Belgium and Spain, the petitioners contended that lack of such organ donation policies in India causes of a lot fatalities that can be avoided.
During his tenure as a judge in the Bombay HC, Justice Saldanha, had directed the state government and the jail authorities to take note of a request made by a convict (who was executed) of donating his organs.
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The convict was remorseful of the brutal murder he had committed and didn't want to challenge the execution order but wanted to donate his organs.
After the execution, as per the convict's request, the organs were immediately taken and preserved and a report indicated that they were used in certain cases.
