E-Paper
Dharamshala: Three awarded 14-year RI for gang-raping minor in 2018
The district and sessions Judge (POCSO Court), Anil Sharma, also slapped a fine of ₹50,000 each on the accused; In case of default to pay off the fine, they will have to undergo three-year additional imprisonment
A local court on Thursday sentenced three persons to 14 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) for gang raping a minor girl in 2018.
The district and sessions Judge (POCSO Court) Anil Sharma also slapped a fine of ₹50,000 each on the accused. In case of default to pay off fine, they will have to undergo three-year additional imprisonment.
Public prosecutors Raj Rani and Soham Kaushal presented 41 witnesses in the court to prove the case dating back to 2018.
On April 27, 2018, family members of the victim lodged a complaint at Palampur police station that their daughter had gone to Garh Mata temple with her male friend on April 26.
While they were taking rest on their way back home, the accused, identified as Shashi Kapoor, Nishu Kumar and Ajay Kumar, residents of Gadiyada village, arrived there. They thrashed the boy while one of the accused dragged the girl into the nearby jungle where he raped her. The two other accused also took turns to rape her and recorded the crime on a mobile phone.
They threatened the victim to make the video viral if she said anything about the incident.
The victim, after reaching home, narrated the ordeals to her sister who then informed her parents after which a complaint was lodged.
The police launched a manhunt and arrested the accused a few days later from Utter Pradesh, where they had fled after committing the crime. They were booked under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code and provisions of POCSO Act.
