Verdict likely tomorrow on juvenile's role in Dec 16 gangrape

The first verdict in the December 16 gangrape and murder of a paramedic student is likely to be pronounced tomorrow by the Juvenile Justice Board which had concluded the inquiry against a minor, one of the five accused in the case that had sparked national outrage.

The Board is expected to deliver the verdict as the apex court had on August 22 allowed it to pronounce the judgement in the case against the juvenile, who according to the police, was the 'most brutal' of all the six accused persons.

The pronouncement of verdict had been deferred by the Board four times since July 11.

The JJB, presided over by Principal Magistrate Geetanjali Goel, had been postponing the verdict on the ground that the Supreme Court is to decide on maintainability of a PIL seeking fresh interpretation of the term 'juvenile' in the statute.

The Board had concluded on July 5 its inquiry that began in March against the juvenile. It had reserved the judgement after it heard final arguments from both the prosecution and the defence in the case.

The Board is also expected to pronounce tomorrow the sentence in the other case against the juvenile pertaining to robbing Ramadhar, a carpenter who had boarded the bus on the night of December 16, 2012 and was thrown out before the girl and her friend were assaulted. The girl died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

He was held guilty for the offence of robbery.

During the inquiry, the juvenile had denied all charges against him, claiming he was not a participant in the horrendous crime.

The juvenile was one of the six accused arrested in the case.