DEHRADUN: A district and sessions court in Uttarakhand's Champawat district has sentenced three men to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each in a 2023 gang rape case that had triggered widespread outrage in the region.
Delivering the verdict on Saturday, District and Sessions Judge Anuj Kumar Sangal found the three accused guilty under Section 376D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with gang rape. The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 75,000 on each convict.
According to the court order, if any of the convicts fails to pay the fine, he will have to undergo an additional one year of rigorous imprisonment.
The convicts have been identified as Sohan Singh, 22, Rahul Singh, 25, and Bablu Singh, 32, all residents of Jhalakudi in Champawat district.
The case dates back to the night of October 7, 2023, when a woman was allegedly gang-raped in a village under the jurisdiction of Champawat Kotwali police station. The incident had caused shock and outrage in the area, prompting demands for swift police action and a speedy trial.
According to the prosecution, the survivor filed a named complaint with the police, accusing the three men of sexually assaulting her. Acting on her complaint, the police registered a case at Champawat Kotwali police station and launched an investigation.
After completing the probe, the police filed a chargesheet before the court. During the trial, the prosecution relied on the survivor's statement, witness testimonies, medical evidence and other documentary records to establish the charges.
"The conviction was based on consistent testimony, medical findings and supporting evidence placed before the court," a prosecution official said after the judgment.
Besides the sentence under Section 376D of the IPC, the court also convicted Sohan Singh and Rahul Singh under Section 342 of the IPC, which deals with wrongful confinement, and sentenced them to one year of rigorous imprisonment each.
However, the court acquitted Sohan Singh and Rahul Singh of the charge under Section 363 of the IPC, which relates to kidnapping. Under the new criminal laws, the corresponding provision is now covered under Section 137 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The court directed that all the sentences will run concurrently.
Officials said the judgment sends out a strong message that crimes against women will be dealt with firmly. The identity of the survivor has been withheld in accordance with legal provisions protecting victims of sexual offences.
