New Delhi: A doctor on Monday told a Special court here that the injury inflicted upon the December 16 gang-rape victim by the six accused persons, “can cause death in natural course”.
“I had given my opinion. The opinion was sought as to the nature of injury, it can cause death in natural course,” the doctor told Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.
The doctor, who was in-charge of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where the victim was undergoing treatment for ten days, however, told the court that he has not seen the weapon of the offence, with which the victim was allegedly assaulted. The doctor recorded his statement in the court, while he was cross-examined by the accused Mukesh counsel, who asked him about the injuries suffered by the victim and whether they were sufficient to cause her death in ordinary course of nature.
To a question whether it was possible to cause similar injuries if the length and circumference of the rod was different, he said, “If there is drastic change in the length and circumference of the rod, then, of course, the injuries would have been different….”
The prosecution opposed the question saying that as the doctor has not seen the weapon before giving his opinion so it would not be appropriate to ask him in detail as it was just an opinion.
It said that it was clear from the evidence that as the rod was hook type on one side, therefore it had allegedly pulled out the internal organs after it was inserted in.
Mukesh’s counsel also said that the victim, when she was rushed to hospital, was not fit to record her statement but due to police pressure he allowed the investigating agency to record the statement.
“It is wrong to suggest that I and the other doctor had given the fitness of the victim at the asking of the investigating officer or that she was not fit to give her statement even by non verbal gesture or that she was not conscious, cooperative, meaningfully communicative.
“It is wrong to suggest that victim was even not fit to give her statement on December 21, 2012,” the doctor said.
Besides the ICU incharge, a surgeon from the Safdarjung hospital, who had done surgery on the 23-year-old girl, has also deposed in a court today.
Both the doctors, however, will be cross-examined by the counsel for the three other accused tomorrow.
With the proceedings against the main accused Ram Singh having abated after his death on March 11, the remaining four adult accused Mukesh, Vinay Sharma, Akshay Singh and Pawan Gupta are facing trial in the case for rape and murder of the girl.
The sixth is a juvenile, so he is facing proceedings before the Juvenile Justice Board.
(By:PTI)
