A Rangareddy district court at LB Nagar in the city on Wednesday pronounced the quantum of punishment for members of 'Snake Gang' who were convicted on various charges yesterday.
The II Special Sessions Court sent the main accused Faisal Dayyani and six others- Khader Barakba, Tayyab Basalama, Mohammed Parvez, Sayyad Anwar, Khaja Ahmed and Mohammed Ibrahim were sentenced to jail for life where as another accused Ali Barakba was sent to 2 years imprisonment. The Court had yesterday acquitted one of the accused, Salam Hamdi, for lack of evidence.
Court ordered release of accused number 8, Ali Barakba (Aged above 50), after checking of records, as he has already spent two years in jail. He has been fined Rs 5,000.
Earlier, all of them were acquitted of charges of gangrape of an 18-year-old. It was previously alleged that they had threatened the girl with a snake and gangraped her. The charges were altered to assault or use of criminal force to any woman with the intention of disrobing her.
Public Prosecutor Ponnam Devaraju Goud said the charge of gangrape was not proved against the accused as the victim did not state this allegation before the court during the trial.
What is snake gang?
The eight-member 'snake gang' is allegedly involved in the gang rape of various women by threatening them with snakes in Pahadishareef police station limits on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The gang pulled a snake on victims to terrorise them into handing over cash. They also conducted kangaroo courts, settling land disputes while demanding huge commissions.
Conviction:
# Prime accused Faisal Dayani, a gym instructor, and six of the gang's members, who would threaten their victims with snakes, were convicted under IPC Section 452 (house-trespass), 395 (dacoity), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 354B (assault or use of criminal force to any woman with the intention of disrobing).
# The eight accused was convicted only under IPC Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property).
# The ninth accused, booked only under IPC Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), was acquitted, the prosecution said.
Details of the case
# On July 31, 2014: Seven accused, all residents of Saroornagar, barged into a farmhouse in Shaheennagar and four of them, Faisal Dayyani (28), Khader Barakba(27) Tayyab Basalama (23) and Mohd Parvez (27) raped an 18-year-old girl in the presence of her fiance by threatening them with a big snake and weapons.
# The accused allegedly recorded the visuals on their mobile phones and threatened to make them public. After committing the crime, the accused stole gold jewellery, `6,000 cash from the victim and fled.
#The gang is also said to have committed similar crimes by threatening the victims with snakes.
# Police have recovered several video evidence of the gang's activities including gang rapes and kangaroo courts.