Dec-16 Delhi Gang-Rape Convicts Allowed To Pursue Studies In Tihar

[Sidhu...Sidhaarth Roy]

NEW DELHI: Two of the four death row convicts in the December 16 gang-rape case were allowed to pursue their studies on Wednesday in Tihar Jail by a Delhi court after they contended that the right to education is a fundamental right.

Vinay Sharma and Akshay Singh Thakur, who along with Mukesh and Pawan Gupta are also facing trial in a separate robbery case, had moved an application before additional sessions judge Daya Prakash, saying they want to study in jail as per the facility provided there by Delhi University (DU).

Advocate AP Singh, appearing for Vinay and Akshay, told the court that Vinay was studying in BA first year from DU at the time of his arrest in the December 16 gang-rape case and he could not appear for examination in one of his papers.

Regarding Akshay, he said that his client also wants to study in jail as per the laid down schedule.

"The right to education is a fundamental right of any accused or convict as provided by the Constitution of India and process, system and guidelines of the Supreme Court," Singh said in his application which was allowed by the court.

During the proceedings, Vinay also claimed in the court that they were receiving threats from the inmates in the jail that they would be subjected to razor attacks.

His lawyer said that his clients were facing threats from the inmates and the court should direct the authorities to ensure proper safety.

The court asked the jail authorities to keep them in separate cells and also to ensure their safety.

During the trial proceedings today, the court also recorded the statements of some of the prosecution witnesses in the robbery case.

The four, who were awarded death penalty on September 13 by a fast track court here in the gang rape and murder case, are facing trial for allegedly luring a carpenter into the bus and robbing him before raping and assaulting the girl in a moving bus in south Delhi on December 16 last year. The girl died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.