Three accused in the December 16 gang rape case were on Friday identified in a special court here by the woman police officer, the prime witness, who had arrested them hours after the heinous crime.
The investigating officer (IO), the last and the crucial prosecution witness in the case, began her deposition before the court of additional sessions judge Yogesh Khanna by correctly identifying Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh who were arrested by her.
Ram Singh, who was found hanging in his cell in Tihar jail, was the first to be arrested, she said. The officer added that he tried to run away from the bus but was overpowered by the police team. The trial against him has been abetted following his death.
The fourth accused in the case Akshay Thakur was arrested at Aurangabad in Bihar.
“All the accused are present in the court room except Ram Singh (since deceased) and a juvenile facing trial before the Juvenile Justice Board,” she said.
She pointedly identified the three by their names and also told the judge that soon after the incident she had on December 17 morning apprehended main accused Ram Singh from the bus itself.
“As we reached near the bus, one person got down from the bus, he was apprehended by us (IO and her team member). In the process, he tried to run but was overpowered. He disclosed his name as Ram Singh,” she added.
She also told the court that Ram Singh had himself “pointed towards the bus by saying that it was the vehicle in which the offence was committed”.