December 16 gangrape: Evidence closed, final arguments to begin

NEW DELHI: A special court trying four adult accused for allegedly gangraping a 23-year-old paramedic in a bus here today concluded recording of the evidence and would hear final arguments from tomorrow.

Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna fixed August 22 to start final arguments after the statements of the defence witnesses on behalf of accused Vinay Sharma, Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh were recorded.

"... the defence evidence on behalf of all accused stands closed. The final arguments to start tomorrow (August 22). The prosecution shall begin first," the court said.

Vinay in his statements had claimed that on December 16, he had gone to a music event organised by the Church in the DDA district park at Hauz Khas in south Delhi and co-accused Pawan was also present there. However, the accused's claim was rejected by the prosecution witnesses.

The same was the plea of Akshay who had said that he was not in the bus and had left for his village in Bihar, a day prior to the incident.

Mukesh, during his deposition, had said he was driving the bus in which the girl was sexually assaulted and her male friend was brutally attacked by his brother Ram Singh, Vinay, Pawan, Akshay and the juvenile.

However, the other three had refuted Mukesh's submissions before the judge and had claimed innocence saying they were not in the bus.

The court concluded recording of evidence on behalf of the prosecution and the accused in a total of 117 effective hearings.

According to the prosecution, Ram Singh, Vinay, Akshay, Pawan and Mukesh had allegedly gangraped the girl in a moving bus after alluring her and a 28-year-old male friend who was assaulted with a iron rod.