Delhi gang-rape: Hearing adjourned as Mukesh rushed to hospital

Accused complained of chest pain during transit from Tihar jail to Saket court complex

Proceedings in the Delhi gang-rape case were adjourned for an hour today when one of the accused could not be brought to the fast track court as he was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital for chest pain.

Mukesh, brother of deceased accused Ram Singh, was rushed to Safdurjung hospital after he complained of chest pain during the transit from Tihar jail to Saket court complex, special public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan informed Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna.

Krishnan said he has been informed that Mukesh has been admitted.

The court, which was to begin the proceedings at 2 pm, adjourned the matter till 3 pm to wait for the hospital's report.

Taking objection to the prosecution's submission, Mukesh's counsel M L Sharma told the court that "something fishy is going on and I am worried about his hospitalisation due to chest pain".

He further told the court that he should be allowed to meet his client in the hospital as he does not trust the police or doctors.

Sharma said, as Mukesh's brother Ram Singh died in jail, so "I don't trust that Mukesh will be provided better medical facilities".

He also sought the court's direction to appoint a doctor to examine Mukesh, which was turned down by the judge who said "let us wait for sometime".

The court said that Mukesh will have to come for the proceedings only if the doctors declare him fit for the same.

The other three accused - Akshay Singh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma were brought to the court.

All the five adult accused in the case are facing trial for allegedly gang-raping and assaulting a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012. The victim later died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

Proceedings against the sixth accused, a minor, is being conducted before a juvenile justice board.