M A I N   N E W S

Gang rape: 5 charged with murder
* Fast-track court frames charges against accused
* Trial to begin on February 5

New Delhi, February 2
A fast-track court here today framed charges against five accused in the Delhi gangrape case and put them on trial on various counts, including conspiracy to abduct the 23-year-old girl and sexually assault and murder her.

A fresh offence under Section 366 of the Indian Penal Code was added by the court against them for abducting the girl with the intention to compel and force her to “illicit intercourse”.

The court, which fixed February 5 for starting trial, also charged them with murder of the paramedic girl under Section 302 of the IPC which entails death penalty.

Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna concluded that there were facts prima facie to suggest that the accused, along with another juvenile associate, conspired to deceitfully induce the girl and her male friend to board the vehicle believing it to be a chartered bus for raping the victim and committing other offences.

The accused bus driver, Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Singh pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The sixth accused, which the police in the charge sheet said was the most brutal among them, has been declared “minor” by the Juvenile Justice Board. However, the fast-track court, in the order, described the juvenile as an “associate” of the five accused. The girl had died on December 29 last.

The court has farmed charges under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 376 (2 G) (gangrape), 377 (unnatural offences), 395 (dacoity), 396 (murder in dacoity), 201 (destruction of evidence), 120-B (conspiracy), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) of the Indian Penal Code. — PTI

Fresh charge

• A fresh offence under Section 366 added against them for abducting the paramedic girl with intention to compel and force her to “illicit intercourse”.
• The court also charged them with murder under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC which entails death penalty.

Juvenile described an “associate”

The sixth accused, claimed to be most brutal by police in the charge sheet, has been declared a “minor” by juvenile board, which will try him. However, the fast track court in the order described the juvenile as an “associate” of the five accused, who committed gang rape “in furtherance of common intention”.