Dec 16 gangrape: Bus owner to be examined as witness tomorrow

The owner of the bus, in which a 23-year-old girl was gangraped by six persons on December 16 last year, was today directed by a special court here to be produced as a prosecution witness to find out who he had handed over the custody of the vehicle on the fateful night.
Besides the bus owner, Ramadhar, the carpenter who was lured into the bus and robbed by the accused before gangraping the girl, has also been summoned as prosecution witness.
Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna issued production warrant for tomorrow for Dinesh Yadav, the owner of the bus, who is at present lodged in Tihar jail following his arrest for cheating and procuring the bus licenses and plying it on capital roads illegally.

The court direction came on the application filed by the police seeking its permission to call Dinesh as a prosecution witness in the case.
"Considering the facts and circumstances and as offence was committed inside the bus it is important to find out as to who he had handed over the custody of the bus on the night of December 16, 2012. His evidence becomes relevant.
"Hence it is just and proper to call prosecution witness (PW) Dinesh Yadav as a witness," the court said.
The court also summoned Ramadhar as a prosecution witness on the application moved by Delhi police, which said his testimony intends to prove that the accused on the night of incident had conspired to commit offences with commuters of the bus.

"Since the charge of conspiracy has been framed against the accused, I feel that no prejudice shall be caused to them if prosecution is allowed to examine Ramadhar as witness in this case and it would also be necessary and essential for decision of this case and in the interest of justice," the judge said.