HYDERABAD: A district court in Hyderabad on Wednesday handed out life terms to seven men, called the 'Snake Gang', who were convicted on various charges of criminal intimidation of a woman yesterday.
However, all of them were acquitted of charges of gangrape of an 18-year-old woman. It was previously alleged that they threatened the girl with a snake and gangraped her. The charges were altered to assault or use of criminal force upon a woman with the intention of disrobing her.
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 -- to jail for life whereas another accused Ali Barakba was sent to two years imprisonment. The court had yesterday acquitted one of the accused, Salam Hamdi, for lack of evidence. It ordered the release of accused number 8, Ali Barakba (aged 50) as he has already spent two years in jail. He has been fined Rs 5,000.
Public prosecutor Ponnam Devaraju Goud said the charge of gangrape was not proved against as the victim did not stand by this allegation in court during the trial.
The eight-member 'Snake Gang' was allegedly involved in the gang rape of 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, police had said.
The prime accused Faisal Dayani, a gym instructor, and six of the gang members 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 eighth accused was convicted only under IPC Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property). The ninth, booked only under IPC Section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), was acquitted, prosecution said.
On July 31, 2014, the 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) allegedly raped an 18-year-old girl in the presence of her fiance by threatening them with a big snake. 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, Rs 6,000 cash from the victims and fled.
