Is Vinay fit to attend hearing,judge asks docs

“The report should detail when the accused can be discharged and whether he is fit to attend court or not,” Khanna said in his order. Sharma’s presence,the judge noted,is crucial at this stage as the examination of the investigating officer of the case cannot be held in his absence. Of the 80 prosecution witnesses,only the IO is yet to depose before the court.

Meanwhile,the SHO of Vasant Vihar police station told the court on Tuesday that the charges of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code “were not added to the case due to political pressure,media pressure or public pressure”.

While being cross-examined by advocate A P Singh,counsel for accused Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur,the witness said the victim had not died before she was sent to Singapore. “It is wrong to suggest that due to pressure,her body was sent to Singapore. It is wrong to suggest that the blood of the accused and the victims were sprinkled,at my instructions,on the clothes of the victims and then sent for forensic examination,” the Delhi Police inspector said.

The witness said he had not given any status report to the High Court relating to this case. When the counsel for accused Mukesh,lawyer V K Anand,asked him if there were any directions from the HC to file a reply to any notice,the court disallowed the question as “irrelevant”. Khanna also disallowed the questions on whether the HC was monitoring the case or if the witness was present there during any of the proceedings.

Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan said he is handling the matter in the High Court and the “scope of proceedings do not cover the trial”.

Anand alleged that the inspector had not taken the opinion of doctors on the weapons of offence,“despite various opportunities” because iron rods were “never used at all” to assault the victims.

The witness said the weapons of offence,two iron rods,were not taken to Singapore to show them to doctors conducting the post-mortem examination for their opinion on whether the death was caused by the rods. He refuted allegations that the rods were planted after the death of the victim.

‘Accused Pawan ill’

Accused Pawan Gupta’s continued to be unwell on Tuesday and he had to be taken to dispensary again when the trial was on. Yesterday,Gupta had to be rushed to the court’s medical centre after he suffered nosebleed while the proceedings were on.

After the proceedings,he was allowed to meet his grandmother and mother who had come to visit him. Though Gupta’s family refused to speak to the media,they repeatedly told the accused to take care of his health. In an emotional reunion,Gupta’s grandmother told him to “eat properly at all times,drink juices” and promised to extend all possible financial help to him that his family “could manage”.