Delhi gangrape: Three accused to plead not guilty, says lawyer

New Delhi: Three of the five accused in the gangrape and murder of the 23-year-old girl in a bus will plead not guilty to the charges and claim trial, advocates seeking to represent them said on Tuesday.

Advocate ML Sharma, who appeared in the Metropolitan Magistrate's court on Monday and offered to defend the accused amidst protests from the Saket bar, has been engaged by prime accused Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh Singh and Akshay Kumar Singh alias Thakur.

Another advocate VK Anand, who had also showed up in the court wanting to be an amicus curiae, has also been engaged by Ram Singh. "They will plead not guilty to the charges leveled against them in the chargesheet. They want to face the trial," said Sharma and Anand echoed a similar stand.

Ram Singh, Mukesh Singh and Akshay Kumar Singh have decided to plead not guilty to the charges and claim trial.

Magistrate Namrita Aggarwal had on Monday posted the matter for January 10 after ordering that proceedings would be held in camera and media should not report them.

A senior Tihar jail official said the accused were illiterate undertrial prisoners. "Generally in a sensational case, many advocates come forward to represent the accused. Being illiterate and already scared, the accused might have signed even more than two advocates. It is an issue between the advocate and the prisoner," he said.

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