Decision on minor's role in Delhi gangrape July 25 (Third Lead)

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) here Thursday deferred till July 25 its decision on the role of a minor accused in the Dec 16, 2012, gangrape case, while holding him guilty for the separate robbery charge.

Principal Magistrate Geetanjali Goel reserved the decision in the gangrape case, saying that the final verdict will be given July 25. She advised the media not to speculate on the decision before it comes out.

The proceedings were also attended by the father of the gangraped woman, who died in a Singapore hospital during treatment.

The board's decision on the punishment for the juvenile in the robbery case, in which he was held guilty, is also likely to be given July 25.

"The order on the robbery case against the juvenile will be taken up on the same day (July 25)," Rajesh Tewari, legal head counsel of JJB, told reporters.

The board concluded July 5 its hearing in the robbery case filed against the juvenile and reserved its order for Thursday.

The accused, who was aged 17-and-half years at the time of the gangrape and robbery, may face a maximum punishment of a three-year stay in a special home, including the time already spent in detention during the proceedings in the board. He turned 18 last month.

During the trial, the juvenile was kept at a government-run observation home. After the conviction and punishment, he may be shifted to a special home, said a police officer.

Reacting to the development in the board, the gangraped woman's father said: "We will not be satisfied till he is punished."

"We want all the six accused to get tough punishment, it should be either death sentence or life imprisonment. If any lesser punishment is given to them, it will not be justice to our daughter. We are waiting for the final verdict," the victim's father told IANS.

A 23-year-old woman was gangraped and brutally assaulted in a moving bus in Delhi Dec 16 last year. Thirteen days later, she died in a Singapore hospital where she was taken for treatment.

Six people, including the juvenile, were arrested in the case. While accused Ram Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur were tried by a fast track court in Saket in south Delhi, the juvenile's case was heard by the JJB.

The case against Ram Singh was dropped after he was found dead, hanging in his cell in Tihar Jail here.