F’bad: Man sentenced to life in prison for 2022 rape, murder

On November 7, 2022, a woman’s semi-naked body was found on a street in Sector 7, with a broom inserted in her genitalia. The body was sent for post mortem, and an FIR was registered under sections related to rape and murder at the Sector 8 police station

Updated on: Aug 30, 2024, 05:52:15 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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Gurugram:

A Faridabad court on Thursday sentenced a 30-year-old man to life imprisonment in connection with the November 7, 2022 rape and murder of a 34-year-old woman — a horrific case that had shocked the city and had led to widespread outrage.

During the hearing, additional sessions judge Purushottam Kumar also imposed a fine of ₹1.56 lakh on accused Manoj Nepali. Chief legal aid defence counsel Ravinder Gupta said, “On the basis of the evidence and witnesses, the court sentenced the convict.”

According to police, on November 7, 2022, a woman’s semi-naked body was found on a street in Sector 7, with a broom inserted in her genitalia. The body was sent for post mortem, and an FIR was registered under sections related to rape and murder at the Sector 8 police station.

During the investigation, CCTV footage led police to identify the accused as Manoj Nepali, a labourer who lived in Sector 12.

Police said the investigation revealed that on November 7, Nepali encountered the victim near a park. Offering to marry her, he lured her into the park, where he attempted to sexually assault her. When she resisted, Nepali brutally assaulted her by banging her head against a wall and strangling her with her scarf. In a horrific act of violence, he then inserted a broom handle into her genitalia before fleeing the scene.

Following the crime, four police teams were deployed to track down the accused, who was eventually arrested near the Nepal border, and confessed to the crime. He was then placed in judicial custody and the case proceeded in court.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More