Two of the four death row convicts in December 16 gangrape case today complained to Delhi High Court that members of international media were filming and interviewing them against their wish at Tihar jail.
Appearing before a bench of justices Reva Khetrapal and Pratibha Rani, convicts Akshay and Vinay said they were being visited by international media despite their having told the jail authorities against it.
At this, the bench orally asked the prosecution to look into the matter. Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan told the bench that the prosecution will look into it.
"We will surely look into it. We have always tried to keep them away from the media. This is a serious issue," he said.
"Jail main video banane aaye thhe videshi aur Mumbai se. Jail prashashan ko bata rakha hai ki interview nahi dena par camera le ke aa jaatey hai aur zabardasti karte hai. (A foreign mediaperson and one from Mumbai had come to jail to make a video. Despite telling the jail authorities that we are not interested in giving interview, we are being forced)," they said.
When the bench asked them to inform the jail authorities in writing about it, the duo said they have already given an application but in vain.
Convicts Akshay and Vinay were brought to the court in pursuance of a production warrant issued for their presence since their counsel A P Singh had, while completing his arguments on appeal, told the bench that he might make some submissions after the other two co-convicts wind up their arguments.
Since the counsel did not appear before the court, production warrants were issued for the duo and they were asked by the bench today if they would want to say something in their defence.
Akshay told the court he would like it to examine his railway ticket to show he was not in town at the time of the incident but the court said the same has not come in evidence while Vinay said one of his defence witnesses who had made the video of a party he was attending on the December 16 night has not been examined.
At this, the prosecution and the bench informed him that the person has been examined.
When contacted telephonically, Singh said he is preparing a written synopsis to be submitted in the court by January 15 and therefore could not appear before it.
