Five men have been sentenced to imprisonment for the rest of their lives for the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl during the Navratri celebrations in 2024 in Gujarat’s Bhayli area, said a Vadodara special court on Monday.
“The court has sentenced all five convicts to life imprisonment, which means they will remain in jail till their last breath. The court has also ordered compensation of ₹10 lakh for the victim,” district government pleader Anil Desai, appearing for the prosecution, told HT.
The court also imposed a collective fine of ₹1 lakh on the five convicts under various sections of law, Desai said.
Deep Dive
What was the verdict in the 2024 Bhayli gang rape case?
Why did the prosecution seek the death penalty in the Bhayli gang rape case?
How did the court justify the life imprisonment sentence for the convicts?
The prosecution on August 25 sought the death penalty or, in the alternative, life imprisonment for the five men, who were convicted in the case in which a 16-year-old girl was raped during the Navratri festival.
The defence sought minimum punishment, citing the fact that the convicts were married and had families and children. Desai opposed the plea, arguing that the same family circumstances existed when the convicts committed the offence.
Desai also argued that since most convicts were in their early twenties, a 20-year sentence would allow them to be released from prison by the time they reached their forties. He had said such a punishment would not be adequate considering the gravity of the offence.
{{/usCountry}}Desai also argued that since most convicts were in their early twenties, a 20-year sentence would allow them to be released from prison by the time they reached their forties. He had said such a punishment would not be adequate considering the gravity of the offence.
{{/usCountry}}The Vadodara POCSO court convicted the five men on August 20 for the gang rape of the girl in Bhayli area on October 4, 2024.
The incident took place on the second night of Navratri in 2024, when the girl, returning from a garba event with a friend, was allegedly intercepted by five men and gang-raped.
The accused, Munna Abbas Banjara, Mumtaz alias Aftab Banjara, Shahrukh Banjara, Saif Ali Banjara and Ajmal Banjara, allegedly approached the girl and her friend at a secluded spot on motorcycles, took the keys of her two-wheeler and threatened to inform her family.
The five allegedly assaulted and threatened the two before gang-raping the girl.
The prosecution examined 45 witnesses and relied on CCTV footage, medical evidence and other material during the trial. The five convicts resided in the Tandalja area and worked as labourers.