New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has refused to grant bail to three men accused of raping a Class XII girl in a moving jeep here last year. “Considering the gravity of the offence and the manner in which the alleged rape was committed, I am of the opinion that no case is made out to release the petitioners on bail,” said Justice Pradeep Nandrajog.

The Bench, however, directed the lower court to expedite the trial of the bail applicants -- Kunal Kapoor, Varun Popli and Varun Sehgal -- and complete it within six months.

According to the police, the accused had forcibly pulled a 17-year-old girl into a jeep and raped her in West Delhi while she was returning from tuition on December 26 last year.

According to the girl, there were four boys who raped her in the running vehicle.

She alleged she was later dumped near her house at midnight.

The victim filed a complaint in the police station in the morning and all the four accused were arrested and medically examined on December 27.

In an appeal seeking relief in the High Court, the accused had contended that they were not hardened criminals and were aged between 20 to 22 years.

“Keeping them with hardened criminals in jail is likely to be counter productive and it would pollute their young minds,” the counsel appearing for the accused said. -- PTI

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