Unnao case: Court issues directions to set up temporary court at AIIMS from Sep 11

A Delhi court issued a slew of direction to hold 'in-camera' proceedings of the Unnao sexual assault case at AIIMS from September 7. A temporary court will be set on the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre to record the statement of the Unnao rape survivor who is admitted there.

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday issued a slew of directions for holding 'in-camera' proceedings at All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for recording the statement of the Unnao rape survivor from September 11 in the case of alleged sexual assault by expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in 2017.

District Judge Dharmesh Sharma gave the directions for setting up a temporary court at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, AIIMS, where the woman is presently admitted following an accident on July 28, after the high court gave him permission on Friday.

'In-camera' proceedings are not open to the public and the press.

The court said that there shall be no audio or video recording of the deposition and the requested the Medical Superintendent (MS) to ensure that the CCTV cameras installed inside the seminar hall remained switched off during the proceedings there. It also asked authorities to ensure that the woman does not come face to face with the accused.

"The recording of the testimony of the survivor shall commence with effect from Wednesday, that is September 11 from 10:15 am onwards and shall continue on a day-to-day basis till such time it is concluded.

The Senior Public Prosecutor for the CBI and counsel for the complainant and defense are impressed upon to reach the venue on 1st floor, seminar hall, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi by 10 am," the court said.

The woman was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in conspiracy with co-accused Shashi Singh in 2017, when she was a minor.

The court, in its Saturday order, directed the MS, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, AIIMS, to depute a well experienced nursing officer who will remain in the seminar hall to look after the rape survivor throughout the proceedings and would be in regular touch with the attending doctors for her medication as well as to apprise them about her medical condition.

"It is further directed that the MS and or the doctors attending her shall appear every morning on the day of the deposition in the seminar hall at 10 am and make a statement certifying the medical condition of the woman," it said.

The court further said that there shall be no audio, video recording of the deposition and the requested the MS to ensure that the CCTV cameras installed inside the seminar hall remained switched off.

"The survivor shall be brought on a stretcher/trolley and shall be stationed at the right side of the dais in the seminar hall so that she faces the court and not the counsel for the parties. The proceedings shall be 'In Camera' and no other public person shall be allowed to enter into the seminar hall/court without the permission of this court," it said.

The court also directed the Jail Superintendent of Tihar prison to make special arrangements to bring both the accused at the venue by 10 am.

It instructed the management of the Trauma Centre to place a stand with curtains to ensure that the woman shall not come face to face in contact with the accused as well as to facilitate the accused to be seated in the court, hear and observe the proceedings.

The court directed the CBI to ensure adequate security arrangement at the lobby of the seminar hall.

It also instructed the chairman of the computer committee at Tis Hazari District Court to make necessary arrangements for the computers and systems required for the deposition inside the seminar hall.

The court said a technician from the computer branch should be deputed from Wednesday at the temporary court in the hospital till the testimony of the rape survivor concludes.

It also mentioned in its order that the counsel for the complainant should ensure that there is not more than one associate inside the court, whereas each of the defense counsel shall not have more than two associates with them and that they need not be present in the robes.

The rape survivor was air-lifted from a Lucknow hospital to Delhi on the orders of the Supreme Court.

Special judge Dharmesh Sharma, who is holding a trial in the cases related to the Unnao incident, had recently sought permission from the high court seeking permission to hold in-camera proceedings at AIIMS for the recording of the statement of the woman after doctors said it was "not advisable" to bring her to the court premises.