Ailing Delhi gang-rape accused may appear in court May 31

New Delhi: Submitting a comprehensive medical report of Vinay Sharma, an accused in the Dec 16, 2012 gang-rape here, officials of a government hospital Tuesday told a Delhi court that the accused should be able to attend court May 31.

Additional Session Judge Yogesh Khanna Monday asked Lok Nayak Hospital, where Shamr is admitted for treatment, to a file report stating when the accused would be in a position to appear before him. The report said: "So far the patient has responded well to medical management. His haemoglobin, blood counts and other tests done are within normal limits, and tests done are within normal limits, and is likely to be discharged from the hospital in one or two days." "However he needs intravenous antibiotics for another three to five days, since he was not taking the prescribed medicines orally after his discharge from Lok Nayak Hospital May 22, the report said." "He can attend the court proceedings tentatively on May 31 subject to his stable condition on that day," the report said. The court, which was to record statement of woman investigating officer, now posted the matter for next hearing May 31. "In these circumstances, it would be appropriate if the matter is listed on May 31 for further proceedings on prosecution evidence. Production warrant be issued for production of accused Vinay Sharma but be executed subject to advice of doctors," the court said. The medical report also mentioned that "Vinay Sharma was admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital May 14 with complaints of fever and low blood counts. He has past history of alcohol abuse, ganja abuse and steroid abuse". Saying that the trial was getting delayed due to Sharma`s absence, the court had asked hospital to file report when the accused would be in a position to appear before him. On Tuesday, the court was to record the statement of last prosecution witness, a woman investigating officer who is crucial in case as she had initially probed the case and arrested the accused. The court till now has recorded statements of 79 witnesses out of total 80 witnesses in the case. The case relates to a 23-year-old woman who was brutally tortured and gang-raped in a moving bus by five men and a juvenile. She later died in a Singapore hospital where she was taken for treatment. The juvenile is facing proceedings before a Juvenile Justice Board, while the four other accused were put up for trial in the fast-track court. One of the accused allegedly committed suicide in jail. IANS