Bhopal gang rape: All 4 men to be in jail till death

Fasttrack court judge slams police for not cooperating with the woman initially as officers argued over jurisdiction and a medical report termed the gang rape ‘consensual sex’

BHOPAL: Four men accused of raping a 19- year-old woman on her way back from coaching class in October were on Saturday sentenced to life imprisonment till death by a fast-track court.

The four men stood silently as additional district and sessions judge Savita Dube delivered her verdict. In her judgment, the judge said, “The defence has pleaded for leniency on the grounds itwas the accused’s first crime and they came from a poor economic background, but this plea can not be accepted as rape is not a common crime and it has long term psychological trauma on the person. Therefore their plea for leniency is rejected.”

The judge added, “The victim and her family have very brave ly and proactively fought for the cause of justice throughout..., despite the fact that initially the police were not cooperating with her and not lodging her report.”

The woman was returning home from her coaching institute around 7pm on October 31 when she was dragged to a secluded place and gang-raped. They took away her phone and jewellery, tried to strangle her and left the scene, believing her to be dead.

A UPSC aspirant and the daughter of a police couple, the 19- year-old and her parents were

forced to make repeated visits to police stations as officers argued over jurisdiction. While the incident took place barely 200 mfr om Habibganj GRP station, officers insisted the scene fell under MP Nagar police station limits.

A flawed medical report later said the ‘sex was consensual’.

After an FIR was filed following public outrage and action

against erring officials, the police investigation into the incident was completed within 15 days.

The charge sheet was filed on November 16 and the trial lasted 36 days. While the prosecution presented 26 witnesses, the defence did not have even one.

The woman told HT the family had feared the four could get different sentences. Prosecution

lawyer Reena Verma said they were satisfied as all four got the maximum possible punishment.

Defence lawyer Indu Avasthi, who represented Ramesh and Rajesh, said her client’s guilt was less than the other two accused, Golu and Aman, and therefore they should have received lesser sentence. She said her clients will file an appeal in the high court.