Sunday, February 20 2005 12:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Bilkis Bano, the prime witness in the Bilkis Bano gang rape-cum-murder case, would depose tomorrow (Feb 21, 2005) for an in-camera trial in response to a summons issued by a special court in Mumbai.

The summons have been served on Bilkis and she will appear tomorrow to tender evidence, public prosecutor R K Shah told reporters today.

On a defence plea, the court had deferred the trial till February 21 but asked prosecution to issue fresh summons to Bilkis Bano, who had not appeared on two occasions earlier.

Defence lawyers and Shah had sought time till February 21 to study the case of accused Dr Sangeeta Prasad, who has been found medically fit to stand trial.

Earlier, the court had separated the trial of Prasad as she was under medical treatment. However, recent medical check up revealed that now she is fit to stand trial. Prasad is charged with helping co-accused to fabricate medical records of prime witness Bilkis Bano.

The prosecution has urged for in-camera trial on the ground that this is a gang rape case and evidence of the prime witness is important.

On January 13, the court had framed charges against the accused for their alleged complicity in attacking a group of 17 members of minority community in Devgarh Baria village of Dahod district on March 3, 2002 in the aftermath of Godhra train carnage.

The court also framed charges against public servants for shielding the guilty. Of the 20 accused, the Judge framed charges against 19 as the trial of Dr Sangeeta Prasad was separated. All of them pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Of the 17 victims, eight were killed while six others were reported missing and three - Bilkis Bano, master Hussain and Sadaam - survived the attack. The conspiracy was hatched between February 28, 2002 and March 3, 2002.

Twelve of the 20 accused allegedly attacked the victims, gang-raped six-month pregnant Bilkis Bano and sexually molested her family members and assaulted them. Six other accused are police officers and two doctors who had allegedly shielded the guilty.

The accused are Jaswantbhai Chaturbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai, Naresh Kumar Ramanlal Mordhiya, Shailesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah, Bipin Chandra Kanyalal Joshi alias Lala Doctor, Kesarbhai Khimabhai Vohania, Pradeepbhai Ramanlal Mordhiya, Bakabhai Khimabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Babulal Soni, Mitesh Chimanlal Bhatt, Ramesh Chandra, Narpat Singh, Idris Abdul Saiyad, Bikabhai Ramjibhai Patel, Ramsingh Mitlibhai Bhabhor, Somabhai Koyabhai Gori, B S Bhagora, Dr Arun Kumar and Dr Sangeeta Prasad.