The Supreme Court today agreed to hear tomorrow the plea of one of the six accused in the December 16 gangrape and murder case for shifting the trial to a place outside Delhi. A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir listed the matter for tomorrow after the advocate for accused Mukesh pleaded for an urgent hearing on the ground that free and fair hearing is not possible in New Delhi because of strong public sentiment against him. Mukesh, who has been charged with murder, gangrape and unnatural offences, submitted in his petition that in view of regular agitation, police and judicial officials are allegedly under pressure to pass orders according to the demands of the agitators and fair hearing is not possible.

Meanwhile the trial of five accused in December 16 Delhi gang-rape case begins in a fast-track court from today. The special court is expected to conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis in the case. The 23-year-old medical student was gang-raped and brutally tortured by six people including a juvenile in a moving bus last year. She died of her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29. Six persons were apprehended in connection with the incident, which evoked widespread outrage and anger and triggered protests.