Jammu, Jun 11: Sessions Judge Pathankote Dr Tejwinder Singh on Monday awarded lifer to three accused persons including the kingpin Sanjhi Ram and also convicted three others with five year rigorous imprisonment while acquitted one in a much publicised Kathua gangrape case.
The Court awarded lifer to Deepak Khajuria, Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu and Sanji Ram under sections 302/376-D/120-B, 328/ 363/201/343 r/w section 34 RPC and also convicted Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, Tilak Raj and Surinder Kumar under sections 201 RPC r/section 34 and 120-B RPC, Court acquitted Vishal Jangotra, son of Sanjhi Ram.
Court after hearing both the sides in length convicted Deepak Khajuria, Parvesh Kumar, Sanji Ram and awarded imprisonment for life and fine Rs 50,000 u/s 120-B RPC, imprisonment for life and fine Rs 100000 u/s 302 r/w section 34, u/s 376-D r/w 34 RPC rigorous imprisonment for a period of 25 years, u/s 376-D/511 rigorous imprisonment for a period of 10 years and fine Rs 25000 u/s 328 RPC rigorous imprisonment for a period of 10 years and fine Rs 50,000, u/s 363 imprisonment for a period 7 years and fine Rs 50,000, u/s 201 RI for a period 5 years and fine Rs 50,000 and u/s 343 RI for two years and fine Rs 20,000.
The Court awarded five years RI and fine Rs 50,000 to Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, Tilak Raj and Surinder Kumar u/s 201 RPC r/section 34 and 120-B RPC.
Court further clarified that all the sentences shall run concurrently and it is further clarified that the period of detention already undergone by the convicts, during the pendency of investigation/trial of this case shall be set-off against the substantive sentence of imprisonment awarded against all the convicts.
Court further held that in the present case, facts are many but truth is one that under a criminal conspiracy, an innocent eight years old minor girl has been kidnapped, wrongfully confined, drugged, raped and ultimately murdered.
The perpetrators of this crime have acted in such a manner as if there is a ‘law of the jungle’ prevalent in the society. It has to be adjudicated in the present trial to find out the persons who were ‘partners in the crime’ so committed against the minor girl child and accordingly a “poetic justice’ needs to be done to the perpetrators of the crime. It is well said that “Heaven or Hell are not geographically locations, our thoughts, actions and character creates the situation of heaven or hell for us”.
Court further observed that needless to say that commission of this devilish and monstrous crime has sent shocking waves across the society and the actual guilty needs to be brought under the sword of justice.
