December 16 gangrape case: Defence lawyer stokes controversy

NEW DELHI: One of the defence lawyers in the December 16 gangrape case has courted trouble with his remarks that he would have burnt alive her daughter had she been having premarital sex and moving around at night with her boyfriend.

The Delhi Bar Council has taken a serious view of A P Singh, lawyer for two of the convicts, after it received many complaints from NGOs and other organisations condemning the statement made by him.

Apparently referring to the 23-year-old victim in the December 16 incident, Singh had told the media in reply to a question, "...if my daughter was having premarital sex and moving around at night with her boyfriend, I would have burnt her alive. I would not have let this situation happen. All parents should adopt such an attitude."

Murari Tiwari, Secretary of the lawyers' body said he has been receiving verbal complaints from NGOs and various other organisations condemning Singh's statement.

"I have asked the complainants to give their complaints to us in writing. In case we don't receive any complaint in writing, then the DBC would suo motu take up the issue at its September 20 meeting. Agenda of the meeting will be prepared soon and circulated among the 45 members," he said.

Tiwari also said Singh's statement comes under "professional misconduct" and the lawyers body can take action against him.

DBC's President Surya Prakash Khatri also condemned the statement and said "it doesn't call for any advocate to make such a statement."