SC to hear plea to shift trial from city
23 Jan 2013 4:20 AM IST
The Supreme Court said that it would hear Tuesday a petition by one of the accused in the 16 December 2012, gang rape seeking the transfer of the trial outside Delhi.
Accused Mukesh sought the shifting of the case to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh or any other state, as he apprehended he would not get free and fair trial in the city.
The apex court bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, Justice J Chelameswar and Justice Vikramajit Sen Monday directed the listing of the matter for the next day after Mukesh’s counsel M L Sharma mentioned it.
‘We will take it up for hearing tomorrow,’ the court told Sharma while directing its listing Tuesday.
Monday’s development in the apex court came on a day when the trial in the case commenced in a fast track court in Saket in south Delhi.
The petition said that Mukesh did not expect a free and fair trial in Delhi as the judiciary was under tremendous pressure because of personal interest shown by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and others.
Besides the public pressure and unending public agitations over the incident, the petition drew the apex court’s attention to some of the statements made by the serving and retired judges of the higher judiciary who sought changes in the law for an expeditious trial of rape accused. The petition said the attitude of police and jail authorities was totally biased against the petitioner.
Meanwhile, the apex court bench of Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra issued notice on a plea by three Delhi High Court lawyers who pointed out that instead of legislating stringent laws, there was a need to change the mindset of the people.
The court was told that there was need for more education and awareness camps. The three advocates who had filed the petition were Geetika Kapoor, Vasundhra Pathak Masoodi and Sushant Singh.
COURT ORDERS IN-CAMERA TRIAL
A newly-constituted fast-track court on Monday ordered in-camera proceedings of the trial for the 16 December 2012, gang rape here. Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna fixed Jan 24 for arguments on framing of charges against the accused in the brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who died 13 days later. The five of the six attackers were presented before the court by the police. The case of the sixth accused, who claimed to be minor, is being heard by the Juvenile Justice Board. Police filed the charge sheet against five accused Jan 3, accusing them of murder and gang-rape, among other charges. Ram Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur were charged with gang-raping and brutally assaulting the woman in a moving bus.
ANTI-RAPE PROTESTORS MAY DISRUPT REPUBLIC DAY PARADE: POLICE
Anti-rape protestors demanding justice for the 23-year-old gang-rape victim may disrupt the Republic Day parade, a top police officer said here on Monday.
According to intelligence inputs, some groups have been identified that may try to create trouble during the parade. ‘We have got some inputs. We will take strict action against the protestors if they try to enter Janpath or India Gate area on or a day before Jan 26,’ a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said.
Anti-rape protests erupted in the national capital and elsewhere in the country after the 23-year-old physiotherapist trainee was gang-raped by six males on Dec 16 last year. The woman alongwith her friend were beaten up and then thrown out of the moving bus on the road - bloodied and without clothes. The woman died 13 days later in a Singapore hospital. Hundreds and on occasions thousands collected at India Gate to protest the barbaric crime and demanded strict anti-rape laws. Many also clashed with police and damaged some properties that were erected for the Republic Day parade in which India’s military and rich cultural heritage is showcased. The parade originates from Vijay Chowk at the foot of Raisina Hill, which houses the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the offices of the prime minister, and the defence minister external affairs, finance and home ministers. Dozens of people still continue to protest at Jantar Mantar. According to another police official, they have identified the groups and are keeping a watch on their activities.
Officials said some of the groups have planned to boycott the Republic Day - India’s constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 after it gained indpendence from the British on 15 August 1947 - to demand better laws to make women feel secure in the country. Sources said some of the groups, who were protesting at Jantar Mantar, also did not celebrate Christmas and New Year.
Accused Mukesh sought the shifting of the case to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh or any other state, as he apprehended he would not get free and fair trial in the city.
The apex court bench of Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, Justice J Chelameswar and Justice Vikramajit Sen Monday directed the listing of the matter for the next day after Mukesh’s counsel M L Sharma mentioned it.
‘We will take it up for hearing tomorrow,’ the court told Sharma while directing its listing Tuesday.
Monday’s development in the apex court came on a day when the trial in the case commenced in a fast track court in Saket in south Delhi.
The petition said that Mukesh did not expect a free and fair trial in Delhi as the judiciary was under tremendous pressure because of personal interest shown by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and others.
Besides the public pressure and unending public agitations over the incident, the petition drew the apex court’s attention to some of the statements made by the serving and retired judges of the higher judiciary who sought changes in the law for an expeditious trial of rape accused. The petition said the attitude of police and jail authorities was totally biased against the petitioner.
Meanwhile, the apex court bench of Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra issued notice on a plea by three Delhi High Court lawyers who pointed out that instead of legislating stringent laws, there was a need to change the mindset of the people.
The court was told that there was need for more education and awareness camps. The three advocates who had filed the petition were Geetika Kapoor, Vasundhra Pathak Masoodi and Sushant Singh.
COURT ORDERS IN-CAMERA TRIAL
A newly-constituted fast-track court on Monday ordered in-camera proceedings of the trial for the 16 December 2012, gang rape here. Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna fixed Jan 24 for arguments on framing of charges against the accused in the brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who died 13 days later. The five of the six attackers were presented before the court by the police. The case of the sixth accused, who claimed to be minor, is being heard by the Juvenile Justice Board. Police filed the charge sheet against five accused Jan 3, accusing them of murder and gang-rape, among other charges. Ram Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur were charged with gang-raping and brutally assaulting the woman in a moving bus.
ANTI-RAPE PROTESTORS MAY DISRUPT REPUBLIC DAY PARADE: POLICE
Anti-rape protestors demanding justice for the 23-year-old gang-rape victim may disrupt the Republic Day parade, a top police officer said here on Monday.
According to intelligence inputs, some groups have been identified that may try to create trouble during the parade. ‘We have got some inputs. We will take strict action against the protestors if they try to enter Janpath or India Gate area on or a day before Jan 26,’ a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said.
Anti-rape protests erupted in the national capital and elsewhere in the country after the 23-year-old physiotherapist trainee was gang-raped by six males on Dec 16 last year. The woman alongwith her friend were beaten up and then thrown out of the moving bus on the road - bloodied and without clothes. The woman died 13 days later in a Singapore hospital. Hundreds and on occasions thousands collected at India Gate to protest the barbaric crime and demanded strict anti-rape laws. Many also clashed with police and damaged some properties that were erected for the Republic Day parade in which India’s military and rich cultural heritage is showcased. The parade originates from Vijay Chowk at the foot of Raisina Hill, which houses the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the offices of the prime minister, and the defence minister external affairs, finance and home ministers. Dozens of people still continue to protest at Jantar Mantar. According to another police official, they have identified the groups and are keeping a watch on their activities.
Officials said some of the groups have planned to boycott the Republic Day - India’s constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 after it gained indpendence from the British on 15 August 1947 - to demand better laws to make women feel secure in the country. Sources said some of the groups, who were protesting at Jantar Mantar, also did not celebrate Christmas and New Year.
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