A Delhi court on Friday handed down rigorous life imprisonment to five convicts for raping a 52-year-old Danish woman in 2014. Saying their “inhuman” and “brutal” acts of abduction and gangrape in 2014 had put a stigma on the reputation of the nation, the court refused to show leniency to the convicts — Mahender alias Ganja (25), Mohd Raza (23), Raju (23), Arjun (21) and Raju Chakka (30)
The five accused were held guilty under Section 376 (D) (gangrape), 395 (dacoity), 366 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.
Rejecting a plea for award of minimum sentence of 20 years jail term instead of a term for rest of the life, Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar II said “it was for convicts to respect the lady especially when she was a tourist” and by their act, they have put “a stigma” on the country’s reputation.
“They do not deserve any leniency. They did not show any mercy when she was saying that do not rape her as she was having AIDS,” the judge said.
“The manner in which the offence has been committed by the convicts in this case is certainly inhuman and the victim woman, a foreigner, who had come to India with a faith that she would safe in India. However, when she was returning to her hotel, she lost her way. When she asked the men for directions, instead of helping her, they misled, abducted and gangraped her in brutal manner to satisfy their lust and rob her belongings,” he added.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 81,000 each on Raju Bhajje and Raju Chakka, Rs 91,000 each on Mahender and Mohd Raza and Rs 10,000 on Arjun.
However, the court said since the convicts are poor, they were not directed to pay compensation to the victim, and directed the Delhi legal State Authority to consider the case and decide on a suitable compensation to be awarded to the foreigner under the CrPC.
The Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava while arguing on the quantum of sentence had sought maximum sentence for the convicts saying that a message must be given to the world that rule of law still prevails in India as this case has a worldwide ramification. Acts of convicts caused a serious dent to the reputation of India in the world.
According to the police, the nine persons, all vagabonds, had robbed and gangraped the Danish tourist at knife-point 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 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.