LATEST NEWS:

Krittivas Mukherjee

The Straits Times

Publication Date : 26-02-2013

A doctor from Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) testified via videolink yesterday in the trial of five men charged with raping and murdering a 23-year-old student in New Delhi, a case that has sparked a revamp of India's gender laws.

Dr Paul Chui, director of HSA's forensic medicine division, answered questions primarily related to the autopsy of the victim after she died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, where she was flown for treatment.

The trial is being carried out by a fast-track court behind closed doors. The media is banned from reporting details of the proceedings.

Defence lawyers said Dr Chui answered questions from the prosecution as well as the accused's lawyers for well over two hours.

"He was asked about the nature of the injuries sustained by the deceased," Mr A. P. Singh, one of the defence lawyers, told The Straits Times.

The victim, a physiotherapy student who was raped and severely beaten on a moving bus on December 16, was flown to Singapore on December 27. She died two days later. She had sustained severe injuries to her intestines.

Her death triggered nationwide street protests calling for stronger laws to protect women. The government has issued a legal order overhauling much of the country's gender laws. Parliament is expected to ratify it into a new law soon.

While the fast-track court is trying five men for the crime, a sixth accused, a minor, is being tried by a juvenile crimes board.

"We expect more doctors from Singapore to depose. But we don't know when," said Mr V. K. Anand, another defence lawyer.