Witnesses' statements recorded in case against Irom Sharmila

New Delhi, Oct 31: A Delhi court today recorded statements of three witnesses in a case in which rights activist

has been facing trial for allegedly trying to commit suicide during her fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar here in 2006.

Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain recorded depositions of the prosecution witnesses and fixed the case for March 2 and March 3, 2015 for further proceedings. The court had yesterday also recorded the testimonies of four witnesses-- retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) G L Mehta, Dr Prashant Sinha, who had medically examined Sharmila after she was admitted to AIIMS, and two other officials of Delhi Police in the case. 41-year-old Sharmila is presently under judicial custody in another case lodged against her at Manipur.

A case was lodged against her in 2006 for allegedly attempting to commit suicide during her fast-unto-death here at Jantar Mantar on October 6, 2006. Sharmila, who is on a fast for over 13 years in Manipur demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), had earlier told the court that she was very much eager to eat if she got the assurance that the "draconian" Act will be revoked. She had claimed that widespread discrimination was being done with the people from North East. She had told the court that she never intended to commit suicide and it was just a protest against AFSPA.

On March 4, last year, the court had put Sharmila on trial after she had refused to plead guilty for the offence of attempting to commit suicide (section 309 of IPC). If convicted, Sharmila, who is out on bail in this case, faces a maximum jail term of one year.

Popularly known as the 'Iron Lady', Sharmila, who has been on fast since 2000 and is fed through a nasal tube, had earlier told the court that her protest was non-violent. She had also rejected the charge that she had attempted suicide in 2006. Her counsel had earlier told the court that Sharmila has already spent one year in judicial custody, which is the maximum sentence for the offence under section 309 of IPC.

PTI