
VELLORE: The Fast-Track Mahila Court in Vellore on Thursday convicted four men for gang-raping a doctor in 2022 and sentenced them to 20 years in prison.
Judge S Mageswari Banu Rekha also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of them. Having already served three years in Vellore Central Prison during the trial, the court directed them to serve the remaining 17 years. Meanwhile, a juvenile in the case is facing trial at a Juvenile Justice Board and the verdict is expected next week.
According to police sources, the convicted were identified as R Parthiban (22), V Manikandan (22), R Barath (20), and E Santhosh Kumar (24) – all residents of Sathuvachari, Vellore.
The incident took place on March 17, 2022, when the 28-year-old doctor and her male friend were returning after watching a movie. They had taken a shared auto-rickshaw with four other passengers and the driver. The vehicle was diverted to an isolated area and the five gang-raped the woman. They also robbed them of Rs 40,000 in cash and two sovereigns of gold jewellery. Based on an online complaint from the woman, the police registered a case.
A special investigation team led by DSP R Ravichandran and ASP D V Kiran Shruthi had arrested the culprits and submitted a 496-page chargesheet. Public prosecutors K Vigneshwari and M Sandhiya examined 39 witnesses.