Mumbai gang-rape case trial in fast track court: R R Patil

The trial of the case relating to the gang rape of a photojournalist will be held in a fast-track court and the charge-sheet be filed in a "very short time", Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said on Friday.

"We will file the chargesheet against the accused in a very short time. We will take the case so seriously that I assure no such incident occurs again," Patil told a delegation of journalists' associations in Mumbai. "We have names and photographs of all the accused," the minister said.

The government has decided to conduct the trial in a fast track court, he said. "The family members of the victim can choose special public prosecutors for the trial," he said.       

One of the accused was nabbed with the help of sketches released by the police, Patil said. The other accused would be arrested soon, he added.

Forensic lab team has got crucial evidence from the spot, which will help establish the crime, he said.

A circular will be issued in a week to enable women journalists to seek help from the nearest police station when they are on assignments, in case they have any suspicion about that particular area, he said.

Image: Photojournalists from Mumbai come out in support of the gang-rape victim

Photograph: Sahil Salvi