Rape-robbery accused skip hearing after bail in Ludhiana, booked

Two gang-rape accused robbers , who were out on bail but failed to show up for court hearings have now been booked under Section 174A of the Indian Penal Code at the Focal Point Police Station.

After two persons accused of robbery and gang raping a woman, failed to show up for court hearings after being granted bail, the police on Monday lodged two separate FIRs against the proclaimed offenders.

Six members of the gang, including the two proclaimed offenders, had raped the 34-year-old wife of one of the labourers working at a Ludhiana factory, while the others held her husband captive during the robbery. (HT File)

The accused, Suraj Kumar of Motihari of Bihar and Barjesh Kumar of Dhandhari, had been declared proclaimed offenders by the court on February 6, 2020 and January 18, 2020, respectively. They have now been booked under Section 174A (non-appearance in response to a proclamation) of the Indian Penal Code at the Focal Point Police Station.

The case

On June 5, 2018, the accused along with 10 other accomplices had robbed metal worth ₹10 lakh from a factory in Mangali village. The robbers had also assaulted the labourers and their families living on the premises. Six members of the gang, including the two proclaimed offenders, had raped the 34-year-old wife of one of the labourers, while the others held her husband captive.

A case had been registered under Sections 392 (robbery), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), and 376-D (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code against 12 unidentified robbers. Later, some of the robbers had been identified and arrested.

Assistant sub-inspector Jaswant Singh, who is investigating the case, said the police have been conducting raids for the arrest of the accused.