A juvenile justice board (JJB), trying the minor accused in the December 16 brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old girl here, would pronounce its judgement today.
The board presided by principal magistrate Geetanjali Goel had reserved its verdict on July 11 after counsel for the accused and the prosecution submitted their clarifications.
The juvenile accused in the case is being tried for the gang rape and brutal assault of the paramedic student in a moving bus here on the night of December 16, last year. The murder charge was slapped after the victim died on December 29 in a Singapore hospital.
Besides the juvenile, the four adult accused — Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur — are being tried by a special fast track court.
Proceedings against key accused Ram Singh abated after his death on March 11 when he was found hanging in his cell in Tihar Jail here.
According to a police official, the counsel for the juvenile accused submitted some clarifications related to the incident and also claimed that his client was innocent as he was “not present” in the bus on the night of December 16.
The official said that the prosecution too submitted its reply to the contentions of the accused’ counsel.
He said that the judgement in another case related to robbery of a carpenter on the same night before the accused gangraped the girl has been kept in a sealed cover and will be pronounced later.
The other four accused are also being tried for robbing carpenter Ramadhar on the fateful night.
During the inquiry, the juvenile had denied all charges against him, claiming he was not a participant in the horrendous crime. (More) PTI PPS HMP SKV SC 07111415 NNNN
Juvenile convicted for dacoity
The juvenile justice board on July 19 has held the minor guilty of illegally confining and robbing a carpenter on December 16 night before allegedly participating in the gang rape of a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus here.
The carpenter, Ramadhar was lured into the same bus before the girl and her male friend boarded it in south Delhi.
Sources in the prosecution has said the JJB board, presided over by principal magistrate Geetanjali Goel, has convicted the juvenile under section 395 (dacoity), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 412 (dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity) of the IPC.
They said that the minor, however, was acquitted under section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person and 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the IPC.
The board will pronounce its sentence on July 25.
The juvenile, an Uttar Pradesh native, had moved to Delhi when he was 11-year-old and had taken up menial jobs.
(Source: IANS)
