| Font Size |
The five, who could face the death penalty if convicted, are also charged with kidnap, robbery and conspiracy over the attack on a bus on December 16 that sparked protests across India about the levels of violence against women.
The defendants have been named as Ram Singh, Mukesh Singh, Vijay Sharma, Akshay Thakur and Pawan Gupta.
A sixth accused, who is 17, is to be tried in a separate court for juveniles.
Police have pledged "maximum security" during the hearing at the magistrates' court amid fears for the defendants' safety. A man was arrested last week as he allegedly tried to plant a crude bomb near the home of one of the men.
Legal experts say the court in the Saket district of the capital would likely transfer the case to a more senior court during Monday's hearing.
"The court will ask them if they have lawyers and then it will appoint an Amicus Curiae (lawyer) to represent them and supply copies of the chargesheet to the accused," said Vishwender Verma, a senior advocate at Delhi High Court.
"The case will then be committed to a sessions court as a magistrates' court cannot try rape and murder cases."
The student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had spent the evening at a cinema with her boyfriend on the night of the attack. After failing to flag down an autorickshaw, they were lured onto a privste bus they thought would take them home.
Instead, a gang are alleged to have taken it in turns to rape the young woman as well as sexually assault her with an iron bar that they also used to attack her companion. The pair were then stripped and thrown out of the moving vehicle.
Outlining their case before the same court in Saket on Saturday, prosecutors said there was DNA evidence to tie the defendants to the crime scene.
"The blood of the victim tallied with the stains found on the clothes of the accused," said Rajiv Mohan, part of the prosecution team.
He also said police had recovered possessions stolen from the victim and her male friend.
As well as the forensic and other evidence, the woman's friend has testified to police and has reportedly identified the culprits.
The friend in his media interviews, said that passers-by ignored the naked and bloodied couple for 30 minutes after they were thrown out of the bus and police then wasted more time arguing over who had jurisdiction.
"The cruelty I saw should not be seen ever," the 28-year-old man, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, said.
today the trial court should be start and rapist could be produced infront of court, i think why we given to chance to them they are not any mercy to live in earth, i think our justice have to give chance for him to escape from here because from dec 16,2012 they are enjoying, jail have to give security,food and everything for them .jyothi sing pandey family know prayer to god they willbe hanged today when they walkup in morning .from dec 16 people of india telling to give capital punishment to those who do rape ,but my opinion no this is verylazy punishment,we give chance to them live in earth but without one eye,one leg ,one hand and with out organ(which they have to used in dec 16. so this is the ultimate punishment for them .beacuse they living in india without this will living in india we and coming generation willn't be forget them and noone wouldn't be look any lady at any cost.
