NEW DELHI, June 9″: Delhi Police today sought jail term for entire life for five convicts in the gangrape case of a 52-year-old Danish woman near the New Delhi railway station two years ago in a city court, which would pronounce its verdict on sentence tomorrow.
Seeking maximum punishment, the prosecutor argued that the offence was committed with the foreigner in a “barbaric and inhuman manner” and “these convicts have caused a dent to the reputation of the country”.
“The way the crime has been committed, it demands maximum punishment of imprisonment till remainder of life prescribed under the new law for the offence of gangrape. The crime was committed with a foreigner and a message should be sent to the society that rule of law prevails in India and wrong-doers would be dealt with an iron hand,” Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava argued on quantum of sentence.
Legal aid counsel Dinesh Sharma, who represented the convicts, sought leniency for them on the ground that they were aged in 20s and belonged to poor background and minimum sentence of 20 years for the offence would be enough for them.
Additional Sessions Judge Ramesh Kumar II, after hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence, reserved the order for tomorrow.
During the hearing, the five convicts were also present in the court.
The court, on June 6, has convicted Mahender alias Ganja (25), Mohd Raja (25), Raju (23), Arjun (21) and Raju Chakka (30) 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 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.
During the arguments today, the prosecutor also said that the convicts had previous criminal record and there was no chance of their reformation.
“In India, we believe in ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (the guest is lke god) and the foreigner was a guest. These men have spoilt the reputation of the country by doing such an act. In order to save herself, the woman had even taken a false plea that she was HIV infected but this did not stop them,” he submitted.
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.
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 gangraped her.
During the trial, the accused had claimed innocence. (PTI)
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