Saket lawyers refuse to defend Delhi gangrape accused

New Delhi: Lawyers practising in the Saket district courts on Wednesday refused to defend the attackers in the December 16 gang-rape in New Delhi.

The lawyers' decision came a day ahead of the possible filing of an over 1,000-page charge sheet by police on Thursday against all the six accused in the case, including a juvenile.

Five of the accused would stand trial in this court complex in south Delhi.

The lawyers\' decision came a day ahead of the possible filing of an over 1,000-page charge sheet by police on Thursday.

Arun Rathee, vice-president of the Bar Association at Saket District Court, told IANS that the accused had committed a "heinous" crime and the bar appealed to all lawyers of bar association not to defend them.

"We have decided and appealed to all that no lawyer will stand up to defend the rape accused as it would be immoral to defend the case," he said.

"However, if the government appoints any lawyer for the accused through the Delhi Legal Services Authority or legal aid, we would not object," Rathee said.

The victim was brutally tortured and gang-rapped December 16 in a moving bus by the accused, who are in judicial custody. The woman died December 29 in a Singapore hospital where she was taken for treatment.

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