After two years of trial, a Delhi court on Monday held five people guilty for gangraping, robbing and kidnapping a 52-year-old Danish woman in 2014. The hearing on quantum of sentence will be given on June 9.
In his order, Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar II said, “All accused are held guilty for all offences.” The convicts, all vagabonds, Mahendra alias Ganja (27), Mohd Raja (23), Raju (24), Arjun (22), Raju Chakka (23), were present in the court. They were convicted under Sections 376 (D) (gangrape), 395 (dacoity), 366 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC (Indian Penal Code).
According to the prosecution, the vagabonds at knife point, robbed and gangraped the Danish tourist on the night of January 14, 2014, after leading her to a secluded spot near the Divisional Railway Officers’ Club, which is close to New Delhi Railway Station.
During the hearing, the defence counsel informed that they have challenged the trial court’s previous order dismissing a plea seeking to examine some doctors as witnesses on the potency issue of the sixth accused, 56-year-old Shyam lal who died in February this year.
The court, however, dismissed this application stating that nowhere it was mentioned that the proceedings of this court had been stayed by the Delhi High Court.
“Hence, this court is not barred from passing the order,” the judge said. Three other accused in the case are juveniles and the inquiry against them is in progress before the Juvenile Justice Board.
The prosecution had examined 27 witnesses in support of its case while the convicts had opted not to lead any evidence.
The convicts had claimed that a day prior to the incident on January 14, 2014, they had hired a prostitute and had physical relations with her while rejecting the charges levelled against them.
Under the new law for gang rape, an offender can be sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but which may extend to life.