New Delhi: Four death row convicts in the December 16 gangrape and murder case were on Thursday held guilty of kidnapping and dacoity by a Delhi court in a separate robbery case.
Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh convicted Akshay Kumar Singh, Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma 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).
"Vide separate order pronounced today, the accused persons are convicted in all the sections for which charges were framed against them. Put up the matter for arguments on sentence on September 2," the judge said.
All the four convicts were present in the court at the time of pronouncement of judgement.
Six persons, including a juvenile, had beaten up and robbed a carpenter before raping and brutally assaulting a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16, 2012. The victim had died in a Singapore hospital on December 29, 2012.
Mukesh, Vinay, Pawan and Akshay were awarded death penalty by trial court in the gangrape and murder case, which was later confirmed by Delhi High Court. Their appeals are pending before the Supreme Court.
Accused Ram Singh had allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail on March 11, 2013. The juvenile was facing proceedings in the gangrape and murder case before Juvenile Justice Board, which sentenced him to three years detention in reformation home. Proceedings against Ram Singh were abated following his death.
The court had on July 15, 2013 framed charges against the four accused after they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Apart from dacoity and kidnapping, the court had also framed charges against them for the offences punishable under sections 342 (wrongfully confining any person), 394(person voluntarily causing hurt in committing or attempting to commit robbery), 412 (dishonestly receiving stolen property knowing that it was obtained by dacoity) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.
The court had said, "It is alleged that on December 16, 2012 at about 8.45 pm at Munirka bus stand or road leading towards IIT flyover, you all (Akshay, Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay) in furtherance of your common intention along with one Ram Singh (since deceased) and one (juvenile)...kidnapped or abducted Ram Adhar (carpenter) with intent to cause Ram Adhar to be secretly and wrongfully confined and you all thereby committed an offence punishable under section 365/34 IPC and within the cognisance of this court."
The police, in its 15-page charge sheet filed on March 15, 2013 in the robbery case, had alleged that bus driver Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Vinay, Pawan and Akshay, along with the juvenile, had snatched 35-year-old carpenter's mobile phone and Rs 1,500 after luring him into the bus.
