New Delhi: Three accused in the December 16 gangrape case were on Friday identified in a special court in New Delhi by the lady police officer, the prime witness, who had arrested them hours after the heinous crime. The investigating officer (IO), the last and the crucial prosecution witness in the case, began her deposition before the court of Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna by correctly identifying Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh who were arrested by her.
Ram Singh, who was found hanging in his cell in Tihar jail, was the first to be arrested, she said adding he tried to run away from the bus but was overpowered by the police team. The trial against him has been abated following his death.
The fourth accused in the case Akshay Thakur was arrested from Aurangabad in Bihar. "All the accused are present in the court room except Ram Singh (since deceased) and a juvenile facing trial before the Juvenile Justice Board," she said on being asked by the prosecutor whether the accused persons were present in the court room.
She pointedly identified the three by their names and also told the judge that soon after the incident she had on December 17 morning apprehended main accused Ram Singh from the bus itself. "...As we reached near the bus, one person got down from the bus, he was apprehended by us (IO and her team member). In the process, he tried to run but was overpowered. He disclosed his name as Ram Singh," she said. She further told the court that Ram Singh had himself "pointed towards the bus by saying that it was the vehicle in which the offence was committed".
The IO said in her statement that at the instance of the accused only, she has seized the rods used by the six men for brutally assaulting the victim and her friend on the night of the incident. The victim and her friend were later thrown on the road.
She further deposed in the court that on Ram Singh's disclosure Vinay, Pawan and Mukesh were arrested who have also accepted their offence during the interrogation. Pawan, Akshay, Vinay and Mukesh are four adult accused facing trial for brutally assaulting and gangraping a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus here, who later died at a Singapore hospital on December 29. A juvenile accused is being tried by the Juvenile Justice Board.
Vinay, who was admitted in a hospital here since May 4 after he complained of high fever, sore throat and mouth ulcers today attended the proceedings but was later taken back to hospital. "Though accused Vinay was produced but since was not well and since he has been identified, he is allowed be taken in lock up in view of his health," the judge said, adding he shall be produced on Saturday.
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