JUST IN: President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected the mercy petition of Akshay Kumar Singh, one of the four men facing the gallows in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, Home Ministry officials said on Wednesday.

Singh filed the mercy petition before the president a few days ago.

The President has rejected Singh's mercy plea, an official said.

Kovind has already rejected the clemency petition of two other accused in the case Mukesh Singh and Vinay Kumar Sharma. -- PTI