Dec 16 gangrape convicts seek permission for polygraph test

Two of the four death row convicts in the December 16 gangrape case today moved a Delhi court seeking permission for undergoing polygraph test in the trial of a robbery case against them.
Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma are also facing trial for allegedly beating up and robbing a carpenter, Ram Adhar, before raping and assaulting a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, last year.
Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash fixed the plea for January 10 for consideration.
Akshay and Vinay alleged in their application that the whole prosecution story was baseless as there was no public witness and no cause of action and reason for indulging in such an offence.

"It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that the court may graciously kindly be pleased to pass order for polygraph test/ lie detection test of the applicant. Accused to prove his innocence, in the interest of justice...," the plea filed through advocate A P Singh said.
Akshay, Vinay, Mukesh and Pawan Gupta are facing trial in the robbery case and the court is presently recording statements of prosecution witnesses.

The court had on July 15 framed charges of kidnapping and dacoity against the four accused.
The court has put on trial accused Akshay, Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay for the offences under various sections of the IPC, including sections 395 (dacoity) and 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person).

The police, in its 15-page charge sheet filed on March 15 in the robbery case, alleged that bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Vinay, Pawan and Akshay, along with the uvenile, had snatched 35-year-old carpenter Ram Adhar's mobile phone and Rs 1,500 after luring him into the bus.
The victim who was gangraped by the men had died in a Singapore hospital on December 29. Key accused Ram Singh had allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail on March 11. Proceedings against Ram Singh have abated following his death.
Besides them, a juvenile was also sentenced to three years in reform home in the gangrape and murder case by the Juvenile Justice Board. He was also held guilty in the robbery case.