Dec 16 gang rape case: Juvenile Justice Board likely to give its verdict today

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) is likely to pronounce its first verdict against the minor on Saturday in the December 16 gangrape cum murder of a 23-year old paramedical student.

The Juvenile accused in this case has been brought to Juvenile Justice Board here today.

The Supreme Court on August 22, while admitting a plea seeking fresh interpretation of the term 'juvenile' in the statute on the basis of mental and intellectual maturity of minor offenders, gave permission to the Juvenile Justice Board to deliver its verdict against one of the accused in the brutal gangrape.

According to reports, JJB 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.

On August 19, the JJB, presided over by Principal Magistrate Geetanjali Goel, had postponed till August 31 the verdict for the fourth time since July 11 on the ground that a PIL had been filed in the Supreme Court.

The juvenile was one of the six accused arrested in the case. While the juvenile faced inquiry before the JJB, the four adult accused are being tried before a fast track court.

The 23-year-old paramedical student was raped, beaten and tortured by six men on a moving bus in South Delhi area on December 16 last year.

The victim later died of internal injuries in a Singapore hospital two weeks later.