E-Paper
Life imprisonment for man who raped, killed 16-year-old in 2012 in Pune
The convicted man, who was 19-years of age at the time of the incident, was identified Akash Natha Koli
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PUNE A 29-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Pashan in 2012. The conviction was awarded by a district judge on January 8, almost 10 years after the incident.
The convicted man, who was 19-years of age at the time of the incident, was identified Akash Natha Koli, a resident of Bhegade chawl in Kokate lane of Pashan. He was convicted under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (sexual assault) read with 511, and 404 (dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death) of the Indian Penal Code. A fine of total ₹20,000 was levied upon him by the court.
The victim was a Class 10 student who had moved to Pune in August 2012 and was walking home from tuition on September 8, 2012 around 6pm when she was killed. Her body was found near central government quarters in Pashan the next day with her school belongings lying around her.
The judgement was made by district judge MM Deshpande in the presence of Assistant public prosecutor Pushkar Sapre and Subhash Nikam, deputy superintendent of police at Criminal investigation department (CID). Assistant sub-inspectors Kamlakar Gaikwad and KR Renuse, along with havaldar Nilesh Pukale helped the prosecution in the trial that went on for 10 years.
“After having considered the submissions of the accused persons and their learned counsels and having considered the submission on behalf of the prosecution and considering the fact that the accused has committed murder of a 16-year old minor girl who is a student of Class 10. She had a bright future ahead and therefore, leniency cannot be shown against him. Therefore, this court is of the opinion that following order would meet the ends of justice,” read a part of the order passed by the judge.
It was shortly after this case that the Protection of children from sexual offence (Pocso) Act came into existance. Therefore, sections of the specially formulated law could not be invoked in this case.
While the statement of nodal officer Datta Angre confirmed the call records, the statement of medical officer Dr Urmila Dhondiram Mundhe confirmed sexual assault and murder.
In June 2016, Dr Mundhe who conducted the post mortem was examined and cross-examined. She confirmed that there were six stab wounds on the girl’s body caused by a sharp object which is suspected to be a divider, an equipment with sharp points used for geometrical measurements by school students, that was found near her body. While the girl was found to have died by asphyxiation, the medical officer claimed that the injuries were consistent with the divider that was found lying near the girl’s body.
“The prosecution in the case examined 19 witnesses and the case is based on circumstantial evidence. Accused used to stare at the victim and other girls passing by the road and used to pass comments for which he was repeatedly warned by surrounding people. On her way back from tuition, he stopped her midway and proposed to her but after she denied him, he dragged her to the spot of the incident and raped her and thereafter murdered her,” said APP Sapre.
The medical officer’s report found wounds that were suggestive of sexual assault and around 25 laceration wounds on her body including six on her stomach. The officer, however, confirmed that the girl died of suffocation.
“He gagged her mouth and suffocated her to death while assaulting her. Then he used a compass to check if she was dead and stabbed her with it. He took her phone, destroyed her SIM card, and started using her phone when his battery died out,” added APP Sapre.
The phone was found in his possession during his arrest. Two witnesses in the case submitted that the boy was reprimanded for making sexual gestures at another girl months before the murder.
The girl had moved to Pune only weeks before the murder. Unbeknownst to her, the man, who was 19-years of age back then, kept track of her for weeks before approaching her.
