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.
