Adopt Arab ways on rape as Justice J S Verma disappointed people who wanted death: Congress

A day after the Juvenile Justice Board declared the sixth accused in the December 16 gangrape case as minor, Congress leader Alka Lamba today demanded that he be made to undergo a bone test for verification of age.

The accused, whose act was described as the most brutal of the accused by Delhi Police in its charge sheet, was declared as 17 years, six months and 24 days old as on yesterday by the JJB, which relied on his birth certificate and school documents produced before it.

"Why the bone density test is not accepted? The school certificates at times are not authentic. There are instances when parents change their child's age to get admission in schools to avoid missing one year. Therefore bone density test should be conducted for determining the age," the All India Congress Committee secretary told an event organised here by the women's wing of industry body Assocham.

The existing scientific methods should be used for determining the age because the crime committed by the youngest accused is unpardonable, she said, adding he should be tried as a criminal irrespective of his age.

Expressing disappointment over Justice J S Verma Committee's recommendations, Lamba said, "Death sentence and castration of rape accused are not part of the committee's recommendations. These were demands of protesters.

"Either we should follow the Arab countries where stringent punishment is in place for the accused or else, we should legalise prostitution the way its been done in other countries."

She, however, hoped the state governments would take serious steps to implement the committee's recommendations.

Echoing her views, Assocham Ladies League Global Chairperson Harbeen Arora said, "We want the youngest accused to be tried as a criminal notwithstanding the age. This is the rarest case and the brutal crime has jolted the entire nation.

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