A fast-track court in Pune began hearing the rape and murder case of a three-year-old girl on Thursday. The court approved an identification parade and psychiatric evaluation of the 65-year-old accused.
The hearing opened after police filed a chargesheet on May 16 under sections of the BNS and POCSO Act. The accused allegedly took the victim from near a temple to a cowshed on May 1, raped her, killed her and hid the body in cow dung.
The special court allowed an identification parade and medical tests for psychiatric assessment of the accused. These steps must be completed before May 28, police said.
The court also directed the district legal services authority to appoint a lawyer for the accused. The next hearing, where charges are expected to be framed, will include security arrangements so the accused can meet his lawyer face to face. The accused appeared via video conferencing.
