Delhi gang-rape: 'Sixth accused a juvenile'

New Delhi: In an important development in the Delhi gang-rape case, the Juvenile Justice Board on Monday ruled that the sixth accused in the December 16 incident is a juvenile.

Rejecting a plea seeking that the sixth accused in the horrific rape case be subjected to bone ossification test to medically verify his age, the court accepted his age as per the date of birth mentioned in the school certificate submitted by principal of his school.

According to the birth certificate, he was born on June 04, 1995, which means he was 17-year-6 month-11-day-old on December 16, when he committed the crime.

"He is a juvenile. The Juvenile Justice Board declared the sixth accused as juvenile on the basis of the date of birth on his school certificate which mentions June 04, 1995," said prosecutor Ishkaran Singh Bhandari after the hearing before the board.

The accused would turn 18 in June, he said.

The sixth accused is alleged to have played the most violent role in the whole incident.

As per the law, bone test is conducted only in the absence of the school certificate. In this case, as the certificate has been furnished, it will be taken as final.

The petitioners now plan to move the higher court.