JOIN USPolice may seek life term for Danish gang-rape convicts
The Delhi Police are likely to seek full life term for five convicts for gang-raping a 52-year-old Danish woman at knifepoint near the New Delhi railway station two years ago, in a city court on Thursday.
Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar II, who on June 6 had convicted the five men, is scheduled to hear on Thursday the arguments on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to the convicts.
Under the new law, the offence of gang-rape entails a minimum jail term of 20 years and a maximum of imprisonment till remainder of natural life.
Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava said the crime was committed in a “barbaric and inhuman” manner and he would demand the maximum punishment for the convicts, that is imprisonment till the remainder of natural life.
“The manner in which this act has been committed is barbaric and inhuman and, despite mercy plea by the woman, she was not let off for about five hours. She was beaten while committing rape and the weapon of offence was also used in commission of crime,” he said.
Legal aid counsel Dinesh Sharma, who represented all the convicts, said he would seek leniency for his clients and file an appeal against the judgement before the Delhi High Court.
Charges
The court has convicted Mahender alias Ganja (27), Mohd Raja (23), Raju (24), Arjun (22) and Raju Chakka (23) for the offences under sections 376 (D) (gang-rape), 395 (dacoity), 366(kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC.
The sixth accused, 56-year-old Shyam Lal had died in February this year and proceedings against him were abated. Three other accused in the case are juveniles and inquiry against them is in progress before the Juvenile Justice Board.
According to the prosecution, the five men, all vagabonds, had robbed and gang-raped the Danish tourist at knifepoint on the night of January 14, 2014, after leading her to a secluded spot close to the Divisional Railway Officers’ Club near the railway station.
The victim had come here on January 1, 2014, and stayed for a couple of days before leaving for Agra. After visiting several places, she returned to Delhi on January 13, 2014, and stayed in a hotel in Paharganj near the station.
On the next day when she was returning to her hotel, she lost her way and had asked one of the accused for directions when the men waylaid and gang-raped her. During the trial, the accused had claimed innocence.