December 16 gangrape accused again changes his counsel

A fast-track court today replaced a lawyer representing one of the four accused in the December 16 gangrape case for his repeated non-appearance following a plea by the accused.
Advocate M L Sharma, who was representing accused Mukesh, has been discharged from the case and Rajeev Jain will appear on his behalf.
Additional Sessions Judge Yogesh Khanna discharged Sharma after Mukesh moved an application to change his counsel.
"At this stage, accused Mukesh filed an application bearing his signature and thumb stating, interilia that he intends to change his counsel and wishes to engage Rajeev Jain, advocate as his counsel.

"On enquiry, he said that he is moving the application voluntarily. Since Jain has already been appointed, amicus curiae in this case, so in view of request of Mukesh he may appear on behalf on Mukesh...," the judge said.
The court in its three page order also said that Jain will appear on behalf of Mukesh at state expense and hence advocate Sharma "stands discharged at the request of Mukesh".

On April 19, after Sharma failed to turn up before the court on three consecutive days, it prompted the judge to appoint an amicus curiae in the case.
The court had said there was a need for appointment of amicus curiae to represent Mukesh, one of the four accused as his counsel Sharma is not appearing regularly in the trial being conducted on day-to-day basis.

Sharma has contended that he was stuck in the Supreme Court or the Delhi High Court for hearing of the matter related
to same cases and others.