December 16 gangrape accused 'critically ill': Lawyer

NEW DELHI: A December 16 gangrape accused has been "poisoned" in Tihar jail and is critically ill, his lawyer today told a special court which directed the prison authorities to ensure that proper medical care is given to him.

The lawyer for Vinay Sharma alleged in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna that the accused was vomiting blood as his food was being poisoned over a period of several weeks.

Vinay has been hospitalised and is in a "critical condition", A P Singh, his advocate, said, adding the accused was not getting proper treatment as the doctors were on strike.

The judge asked the jail authorities to find out whether the doctors were on strike and to inform him if Vinay can be shifted to a private hospital.

"The jail superintendent is directed to look into the matter. If doctors are on strike then make arrangements to shift the accused Vinay to another hospital where better facilities are available.

"See if he can be shifted to any other private hospital. Tell me if as per jail manual, I can send him to another hospital at government expense," the court said.

Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan denied claims of Vinay's counsel A P Singh, saying the doctors were on strike only for a few hours.

The court, however, said, "If doctors were on strike than why have you (jail) sent the accused to this hospital."

Vinay has not attended court proceedings since May 8 as he is not keeping well.

Vinay and five others, including a juvenile, are accused of gangraping a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus here on the night of December 16, 2012. The girl died of her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

Yesterday, the court had rejected Vinay's 15 days interim bail plea for his medical treatment.