JOIN USThe neighbours of an accused in the December 16 gang rape case on Thursday claimed in a Delhi court that he was attending a music function with friends and was not in the bus in which a 23-year-old girl was gang raped by six persons.
Two of the neighbours, appearing as defence witness for accused Vinay Sharma, told additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna that the accused is innocent as he was with us at the time of the incident.
“We, along with them (Vinay and his family members), went to the district park to attend a musical programme,” the witnesses said.
This statement is similar to that given by Vinay earlier in his deposition in which he had said that he was at the district park with his family to attend a music function and was not in the bus in which the heinous crime was committed.
The witnesses, meanwhile, refuted the Delhi Police’s submission that no musical function was organised in that district park on December 16.
The police submitted that as per the horticulture department of DDA, which maintains the park, no such type of activities are held there after 7 pm and nor is anyone allowed inside the park after that time.
The police also said the defence witnesses have concocted a false story at the behest of the accused and his family members and are deposing falsely in the case.
The allegation of the police was denied by the two witnesses. Yesterday, Vinay’s parents had also claimed in the court that their son was innocent and he should be acquitted.
They had refuted the police allegation that Vinay was one of the six who had also raped the girl and assaulted her male friend with an iron rod.
Govt asked to clear stand on creating separate police wings
The Centre was on Thursday asked by the Delhi High Court to file its response on the issue of separating maintenance of law and order and carrying out of investigation by the Delhi Police for ensuring better detection of cases, reports PTI.
A Bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked additional solicitor general Rajeeve Mehra to file an affidavit on the issue within two weeks and posted the matter for August 22. “The Centre should file an affidavit within two weeks on the issue of separation of law and order from investigation in the Delhi Police,” the Bench said.
The court’s order came in the wake of a submission by public prosecutor Dayan Krishnan in December 16 gang rape case that the police have used scientific method for investigation of the case and the probe is in progress.
“Why don’t you apply the scientific method in all other cases. Do you think the law and order situation has improved in the city,” the Bench asked the police. The court observed that if the wings are separated, many criminals will not get away and there will be an improvement in the law and order situation in the metropolis. To this, the public prosecutor said the issue of separation was in the hands of the Centre. The ASG told the court that by next date of hearing, he would make the government’s stand clear.