Delhi gangrape accused to also face dacoity trial

A Delhi court Monday framed charges of kidnapping and dacoity against four accused being tried in another court for the Dec 16, 2012 gangrape and brutalisation of a woman in a moving bus.

Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash put on trial accused Akshay Kumar Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma for dacoity, under section 395 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and kidnapping under section 365 of the IPC.

The court framed the charges against the four accused and fixed July 23 for recording testimonies of prosecution witnesses. The accused earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges and sought trial.

Judge Daya Prakash said: "It is alleged that on Dec 16, 2012 at about 8.45 p.m. at Munirka bus stand or road leading towards IIT flyover, you all (Akshay, Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay) in furtherance of your common intention along with one Ram Singh (since deceased) and one (juvenile)...kidnapped or abducted Ramadhar (carpenter) with intent to cause Ramadhar to be secretly and wrongfully confined and you all thereby committed an offence punishable under section 365/34 IPC and within the cognisance of this court."

The court also framed charges against them for offences punishable under IPC sections 342 (wrongfully confining any person), 394 (person voluntarily causing hurt in committing or attempting to commit robbery), 412 (dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing that it was obtained by dacoity) and 34 (common intention).

The case relates to a physiotherapy intern who was brutally tortured and gangraped in a moving bus by five men and a juvenile, after she boarded the vehicle with her male friend.

The juvenile is facing proceedings before a Juvenile Justice Board where the order has been reserved, while the four other accused were put up for trial in a fast-track court in Saket. One of the accused Ram Singh allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail, where he was lodged.