Dec 16 rapists’ lawyer sparks controversy

The Delhi Bar Council has taken a serious view of A P Singh, lawyer for two of the convicts, after it received many complaints from NGOs and other organisations condemning the statement made by him. Apparently referring to the 23-year-old victim in the December 16 incident, Singh had told the media in reply to a question, "...If my daughter was having pre-marital sex and moving around at night with her boyfriend, I would have burnt her alive. I would not have let this situation happen. All parents should adopt such an attitude."

Murari Tiwari, Secretary of the lawyers' body said he has been receiving verbal complaints from NGOs and various other organizations condemning Singh's statement. Meanwhile, the father of the Delhi gang-rape victim has taken a strong exception to the defence counsel's contention that death penalty was awarded to the four convicts under political pressure and termed the statement as an insult to the judiciary.

"The defense counsel is terming the death penalty awarded to those responsible for the ghastly act as taken under political pressure and it appears as if he is challenging the judiciary. This is an insult of the judiciary," the father of the girl said.

"If something as gruesome as this had happened with his daughter or a relative, had he said the same thing," he said.

The court has given its verdict not under political pressure, but on the basis of the evidences, he said, adding that he had full confidence that if challenged in higher courts, the High Court and the Supreme Court would also uphold the death sentence.