Delhi gang-rape accused gets tutor for IAF exam, now wants nutritious food
New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI): One of the four accused in the December 16 gang-rape case on Monday sought a direction from a special court here for provision of nutritious food inside jail citing that he had to prepare for tests for recruitment of clerks in the Indian Air Force.
Vinay Sharma, the accused who, along with others, had allegedly gang-raped the 23-year-old girl in a moving bus here, moved the plea before Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna and pleaded that he be given milk, fruit and newspapers inside Tihar jail as he has to prepare for his written examinations on April 7.
The court sent the application to the jail authorities for their comments. Earlier, he had moved the court seeking a tutor as well as reading materials to help him prepare for the test. Subsequently, Tihar jail authorities had provided him a tutor to guide him in his studies.
The court, which has till date recorded the statements of 63 prosecution witnesses, told the lawyers that from Tuesday it will not adjourn the matter until unless anyone is ill.
Meanwhile, the judge also took a strong exception to the defence lawyers coming late to the proceedings and told them it was the last warning and they could be replaced. “I am observing that the defence counsels are coming as per their choice. They (defence counsels) should understand that they are dealing with a very serious case. They are taking the court for granted. I will write to Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to provide counsel to accused if in future also, the counsels reach late. It cannot go on like this. Please make sure that from tomorrow (Tuesday), you (defence counsels) are on time,” the judge said.
The proceedings on Monday got delayed by 45 minutes as counsel for accused Pawan Gupta and Vinay came late.
Later, a lawyer for accused Mukesh and Akshay Singh refused to cross-examine the witnesses and said he will start ON Tuesday.
The lawyer also said he has been given time till April 4 to file an appeal in the Delhi High Court against the order by which his application seeking documents in Hindi was rejected.
Initially, five accused in the case were facing trial for allegedly gang-raping and assaulting a girl on the night of December 16, 2012.
With the proceedings against the main accused Ram Singh having abated after his death on March 11, the remaining four adult accused—Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay and Pawan—are facing trial in the case for rape and murder of the girl. The sixth accused in the case, a juvenile, is facing proceedings before the Juvenile Justice Board here.