A potential lawyer for three of the men charged with the abduction, rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi says his clients have been tortured and coerced into admitting the crime.
Amid heavy security, five suspects appeared in court in the Indian capital for a second time on Thursday, before the case was adjourned until Monday.
No decision was taken on moving the case to a fast-track trial.
The court ruled on Thursday that the charge-sheet needed more scrutiny.
The case has shocked India and prompted a debate about the treatment of women.
If convicted, the five men charged face the death penalty.
A sixth suspect, who is thought to be 17, will be tried separately in a youth court if it is confirmed he is a minor.
Evidence 'manipulated'Manohar Lal Sharma, who is intending to represent three of the accused - Mukesh Singh, Akshay Thakur and Ram Singh - said one 22-year-old suspect had been tortured for 10 days.
"He was coerced into admission," said Mr Sharma outside the court on Thursday morning. "He's unable to speak now.
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End QuoteEventually, experts say, India may have to bite the bullet if it wants to speed up justice - to achieve the government's target of 50 judges for every million people more judges will need to be appointed in regular courts "
"All these people have been tortured badly. It's under pressure that they have made statements in court.
"Evidence has been manipulated to calm the anger among people."
Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat refused to comment, citing legal restrictions.
Sunil Gupta, a spokesman for Tihar Jail where the suspects are being held, told the BBC all the accused were being kept in different sections of the jail "and their safety is guaranteed".
Lawyer Vivek Sharma, who says he is representing a fourth suspect, Pawan Gupta, says he will plead not guilty.
It is not clear how the fifth suspect, Vinay Sharma, will plead.
Prosecutors have said they have extensive forensic evidence.
Police criticisedThe magistrate has ordered that the preliminary hearings be held behind closed doors and has put restraints on media reporting.
India's fast-track courts
- Some 1,200 fast-track courts are operating in India as of March 2012
- In Delhi, six fast-track courts are to be set up for the trial of cases related to crimes against women, especially rape. Some other states such as Punjab and Maharashtra are also setting up fast-track courts for this purpose
- In 2000, central government started a scheme for more than 1,700 fast-track courts to try to clear the backlog of cases clogging up the Indian judicial system, partly related to a shortage of judges
- Funding is an issue because the central government said it could no longer fund them after March 2011, leaving future funding decisions to individual states.
There were chaotic scenes in the Delhi court on Monday when the group appeared for the first time.
Lawyers argued with each other over representation and the magistrate adjourned the hearing, moving it behind closed doors.
Separately, the Delhi High Court has criticised the city's police over the gang rape incident on 16 December.
The court said on Wednesday that only one police officer had been suspended in connection with the incident, and asked the police: "Why are you trying to save the errant policemen?"
The victim, who cannot be named in India for legal reasons, and a male friend were attacked on a bus in south Delhi. She died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore.
Campaigners are calling for tougher rape laws and reforms to the police, who - critics say - often fail to file charges against those accused of attacks.
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