Faridabad court sentences two to life for 2023 gang rape, murder

The court also fined each convict ₹2.61 lakh. Police said forensic evidence and testimony from 25 witnesses helped secure the conviction.

A Faridabad court has sentenced two men to rigorous life imprisonment for the remainder of their natural lives for the gang rape and murder of a 25-year-old Dalit woman after they allegedly entered her residence in the Mujesar police station area in April 2023.

The convicts were found guilty under IPC sections including murder, gang rape, house trespass and causing disappearance of evidence. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Additional sessions judge Purushottam Kumar, while pronouncing the quantum of sentence on Tuesday, also fined both convicts ₹2.61 lakh each.

The court found the two men guilty under sections 302 (murder), 376D (gang rape), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 449 (house trespass) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and section 3(2)(v) (committing offence listed under IPC) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The incident took place between 1pm and 3pm on April 21, 2023, when the duo allegedly entered the woman’s residence to steal valuables. She returned from work for lunch, following which the two men sexually assaulted her and killed her, prosecution officials said. They allegedly staged the scene to make the death appear to be a suicide, stole two mobile phones and left after locking the house from outside.

Rekha J S Jangra, deputy district attorney, Faridabad, said the matter came to light when the woman’s husband returned home at night and found her dead. “The body was sent for autopsy whose report arrived on April 23. The report made it clear that it was not a suicide but she was subjected to brutal sexual assault and then murdered. There were 21 injuries marks on her body. A rape and murder case was registered at Mujesar police station on the same day,” she said.

The accused were arrested on April 27 and remained in judicial custody thereafter. “Police recovered the stolen phones and house key from their possession too and filed chargesheet against them on July 26 with all the forensic evidence after which the trial began,” Jangra said.

“Forensic examinations established the presence of the duo’s DNA on the victim’s body. Their fingerprints were also found at the crime spot. At least 25 witnesses deposed favouring the prosecution case following which the conviction was secured,” she said.

Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said senior officials had monitored the trial by categorising it as an “identified crime” to ensure a fool-proof investigation and prosecution.