Victim's friend identifies accused

Culprits also booked for robbing man

 The 28-year-old friend of the gang rape victim has identified Mukesh Singh, one of the accused in the case, during the test identification parade at Tihar Jail on Thursday, said a police officer. 

The victim’s friend reached Tihar along with his advocate father at around 2.30 pm. Police accompanied them for the process that began around 3.00 pm.

He had to identify the accused among 11 people who were paraded before him. Mukesh Singh, cleaner-cum-driver and younger brother of co-accused Ram Singh, was among those people.

The engineer identified Mukesh in the process which was conducted in front of police, jail authorities and magistrate. Coming out of Tihar, police officials said, “He has positively identified Mukesh Singh.”

On Wednesday, Ram Singh’s younger brother had agreed to undergo an identification test before court after which it was fixed on Thursday. The court sent Mukesh to jail for 14 days.

Other accused — Ram Singh, fruit seller Pawan Gupta and assistant gym instructor Vinay Sharma — refused to undergo the parade.

Police said Mukesh had beaten up the friend and the victim in the bus before rape took place.

Investigators said at the time of the incident, Mukesh was driving the bus. But when the victim’s friend took control of the three accused during the enusing fight, he came from behind, hit him with an iron rod and then pinned him down. After which victim’s friend fell partially unconscious.  

The investigators said all the accused have also been booked for robbing a man called Ramadhar Singh of Rs 8,000. He had boarded the bus at sector 4 market and the accused threw him ahead of the Munirka DDA flats bus stop. 

All accused will also be produced before court and if they agree, they will have to undergo test identification parade there. “We have also intimated the court about the incident of the robbery,” said a senior police officer.