Delhi gangrape: HC dismisses plea for quashing FIR

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today dismissed a plea of two accused in the December 16 gangrape case that the FIR and subsequent proceedings against them be quashed.

Justice Pratibha Rani also upheld the order of a special court by which the plea of accused Mukesh and Akshay Singh against day-to-day trial was rejected.

In their petition, they had sought quashing of FIR on the ground that police manipulated it as the original complaint was silent about the names of the accused persons.

The special fast track court's March 28 order dismissing their plea for conducting proceedings on alternate days instead of on day-to-day basis was also challenged by them.

They had wanted proceedings to be held on alternate days so that their counsel can seek instructions on cross-examining witnesses.

The trial court had dismissed their plea, saying "such pleas are made to delay the proceedings."

Initially, five adult accused in the case were facing trial for allegedly gang-raping and assaulting a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus here on the night of December 16, 2012.

With the proceedings against the main accused Ram Singh having abated after his death on March 11, the remaining four adult accused Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay and Pawan Gupta are facing trial in the case for rape and murder of the girl.

The sixth accused in the case is a juvenile, who is facing proceedings before the Juvenile Justice Board.

The girl had died on December 29, 2012 in a Singapore hospital due to the grievous injuries she suffered when she was brutally assaulted by the six accused.