New Delhi: Eight-and-a-half months after a young paramedical student was gang-raped in a moving bus here, the first punishment was handed out when a juvenile court ruled that an 18-year-old, who was claimed by the police to be the "most brutal" of all the six accused, be confined to a reform home for three years.
The punishment of a three-year stay in a reform home given on Saturday to the lone minor accused in the December 16, 2012 gang rape left the victim's family angry and sparked a minor protest by those seeking death for the guilty. The open space outside the juvenile justice board near the Feroz Shah Kotla cricket ground in central Delhi was abuzz since 10am, the scheduled time for giving the verdict, but the huge contingent of media persons broke into a frenzy only around 3.30 pm when a lawyer came out of the board and shared information about the in camera proceeding.
The defence lawyer was the first to come out of the board and tell reporters that the juvenile accused had been convicted under gang rape and murder charges and sent to a three-year stay in a reform home. The maximum punishment that can be awarded under the Juvenile Justice Act is three years.
The Juvenile Justice Board, presided over by Principal Magistrate Geetanjali Goel, pronounced the verdict and convicted the 18-year-old for gang rape, murder and other charges. The board, however, acquitted him of some of the charges for which he was booked. Details were not disclosed as media was not allowed inside the court.
The minor was also acquitted from attempt to murder charges of victims' male friend and the sole eye witness of the case. The prosecution has called the minor, as the "most brutal of the six". He was the one who had called the victim and her male friend to the bus on December 16 night by giving them wrong information. The police had said that apart from sexually assaulting the 23-year-old physiotherapist trainee, the minor had also ripped out her internal organs with a rod. The girl died later.
The board refused to reveal all the charges for which the minor accused had been convicted and acquitted. After the order was announced, the victims entire family - father, mother and two brothers - said they were not happy. "We are not satisfied with the verdict," the victim’s mother said with tears in her eyes. "If minors do such things and get away so easily, how will the law work? It cannot be done like this. We will move the higher court against the judgment," she said. The father of victim also expressed his dissatisfaction over the verdict.
"Our daughter has died and now after listening to this verdict we also have virtually died. This will only encourage the crime," the father said. "I was hoping that the juvenile accused will be given life imprisonment, but he was given only three years (in special home," said the victim's father. "The court by giving a lighter punishment of three years has actually encouraged the other juveniles to commit crime. The law must be changed.
Nirbhaya's brother tries to attack rapist
The younger brother of Nirbhaya allegedly tried to attack the juvenile on Saturday who was awarded three-year sentence for the rape and murder of his sister by juvenile justice board (JJB) here. "When the judgment was being delivered by the JJB, presided over by principal magistrate Geetanjali Goel, the victim's younger brother tried to attack the minor," the sources at the board said.
They said victim's brother, who was waiting for the board's decision since morning, suddenly moved towards the juvenile and tried to slap him, after the order was pronounced. However, the boy was brought under control by those present inside the court room, including the prosecution, defence counsel and the 23-year-old victim's father and mother.
After coming out of the JJB, he broke down and expressed disagreement with the quantum of the sentence awarded to the juvenile accused. "The accused has been sentenced to three years, which is very less for him in comparison to the crime he committed. He should be hanged here only," he said in tears. Without waiting further, he forced his way along with his parents by pushing the iron gate where policemen were posted.
