7 Jan 2013

India gang rape suspects due in Delhi court

The five men accused of gang-raping and murdering a 23-year-old student in India will appear in a New Delhi court today for pre-trial proceedings.

India gang rape suspects due in Delhi court

Five men are in court accused of raping a 23-year-old physiotherapy student who died two weeks later. Two have now offered to give evidence.

The men have also been charged in relation to the woman’s abduction and are expected to be tried in a newly created fast-track court over the coming weeks.

If found guilty, the five men could be sentenced to death. A sixth suspect, listed as a 17-year-old, is expected to be tried separately in a juvenile court, where the maximum sentence would be three years in a reform facility.

Prosecutors have said they have extensive forensic evidence against the accused, who have been named as Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh, Pawan Gupta, Akshay Thakur, and Vinay Sharma.

The 23-year-old victim died from massive internal injuries on 28 December in Singapore, two weeks after a gang rape on a bus in New Delhi.

The brutal attack sparked outrage and protests across India, with demonstrators calling for tougher rape legislation and reforms of a police culture towards rape victims.

Security was tight for today’s hearing and reports have emerged of chaotic scenes in the courtroom where the case is being heard.