The UP district court today sentenced 2 men to 20 years in prison for gang-raping a woman during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.
Additional District Sessions judge AK Singh imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 each on convicts Maheshvir & Sikander.
The two raped the Muslim woman during the riots, were convicted under section 376(2)(g) (punishment for committing rape during communal or sectarian violence), 376D (gang rape) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
However, the clashes between Hindu & Muslim communities in Muzaffarnagar district in 2013 resulted in the death of over 60 people, while more than 50,000 people got displaced.
According to the prosecution, the SIT filed a chargesheet against 3 persons Kuldeep, Maheshvir and Sikander in the court. Kuldeep died during the trail of the case.
7 witnesses, including the victim, got examined in the court during the course of the trial.
As per the complaint lodged, the woman (26) was gang-raped by 3 men after putting a knife to the throat of her minor son and threatening her of terrible consequences in the Phugana area during September 2013 riots.
The Supreme Court directed the trial court to take up the matter on priority, stating the case should not be adjourned for a long date.
The directions from the top court had come following a petition by senior advocate Vrinda Grower alleging that the accused were trying to delay the proceedings.
Also, she pleaded the case on behalf of the victim in the trial court.
Vrinda Grover said that the court order comes on the heels of the victim approaching the apex Court praying for expeditious trial of the case which witnessed partisan investigation deliberate and protracted delay meant to exhaust her.
