Delhi gangrape case: Proceedings against Ram Singh abated

NEW DELHI: A fast-track court hearing the December 16 gangrape-cum-murder case today abated proceedings against main accused Ram Singh in view of his death in Tihar prison on March 11.

"Since the accused (Singh) is dead and the court has also been informed about his death, the proceedings against him are abated (void)," Singh's counsel V K Anand told mediapersons outside the court room.

After Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna was apprised about Singh's death, he had sought from the Tihar jail authorities a detail inquiry report which has not yet been submitted.

Tihar jail Superintendent of jail no.3, where Singh's body was found hanging, had submitted its preliminary report to the court.

Meanwhile, the ongoing in-camera proceedings against the other four accused continued with recording of the statement of the prosecution witnesses.

Anand, who is defending Singh's brother Mukesh in the case, today cross-examined B K Mohapatra, Senior Scientific Officer from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL).

Mohapatra and Rajender Singh, a principal scientific officer-cum-assistant chemical examiner from CFSL, had already been cross-examined by the counsel for accused Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Akshay Singh.

The two forensic experts, who had already recorded their statement for the prosecution witness, had provided their scientific support and services during investigation of the brutal assault on the 23-year-old girl and her male friend on a moving bus here.

The court has also summoned for tomorrow Rashmi Ahuja from Safdarjung Hospital here, where the victim was initially undergoing treatment, to testify in the case.

Ahuja had initially prepared Medico Legal Case of the victim describing the wounds and injuries caused to her during the commission of the crime.