VELLORE: In a significant verdict, the Vellore Pocso Fast Track Court sentenced a 17-year-old to 20 years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 23,000, for his involvement in the gang rape of a female doctor. In a subsequent ruling, the Vellore Women's Fast Track Court sentenced four other accused—Parthiban, Bharath, Manikandan, and Santosh Kumar—to 20 years and a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of the convicts.
The minor has been sent to the Juvenile Home in Kellis, Chennai, while his case was handled separately under the Pocso Act.
The case dates back to March 17 2022, when a female doctor employed at a private hospital in Vellore was allegedly gang-raped by a group of men, including an auto-rickshaw driver. The victim was returning to Vellore in an auto-rickshaw with her male friend after watching a movie at a theatre in Katpadi when the accused abducted both of them and took them to the Palar River. The perpetrators gang-raped the doctor, snatched her gold chain and mobile phone, and robbed her male friend of his ATM card and Rs 40,000 in cash.
The victim promptly reported the crime via email to District Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kannan. Acting swiftly, the Vellore North Police Station registered a case and arrested five individuals, including auto-rickshaw driver Parthiban (20), Bharath (18), Manikandan (21), Santhosh Kumar (22), and a 17-year-old minor. The accused were charged under nine sections of the law. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravichandran and Tiruvannamalai ASP DV Kiran Shruthi were appointed as the investigating officers in the case.