By Express News Service
KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday rendered a significant verdict in the case involving the gang rape and murder of a 21-year-old college student that occurred in Kamduni, North 24 Parganas that shocked West Bengal a decade ago.
The High Court acquitted one individual who had initially been sentenced to capital punishment and commuted the death sentences of two others to life imprisonment.
Initially, a Barasat (lower) court had imposed the death penalty on three of the convicts and sentenced three others to life imprisonment for their roles in the horrifying incident, which unfolded on June 7, 2013, when the victim was returning home after completing an examination on a rainy day.
In response to the High Court’s decision, the state government has decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court. The emotional impact of the verdict was palpable, as the victim’s brother fell unconscious on the court premises upon hearing the news.
In 2016, a lower court had handed down the death penalty to Amin Ali, Saiful Ali, and Ansar Ali, while Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam, and Bhola Naskar received life imprisonment sentences. The division bench, composed of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Ajay Kumar Gupta, acquitted Amin Ali and converted the death sentences of Saiful and Ansar to life imprisonment.
Furthermore, the bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest and that their convictions carry a maximum sentence of seven years, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each.
The family members of the victim expressed their dissatisfaction with the High Court’s decision, with one of the victim’s two brothers voicing their concerns, stating, “We are concerned about our security as three of the accused have been acquitted by the court.” The incident in 2013 shook the state and Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had visited the area and met the victim’s family members. She had also promised exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Guilty of criminal conspiracy
The bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each.
What’s the case
June 7, 2013: Victim’s brothers discover the body near a fishery
June 8, 2013: Post-mortem confirms gangrape, murder
January 28, 2016: Additional sessions judge in Barasat hands out death sentence to three of the accused and life imprisonment to three others.
October 6, 2023: Calcutta HC acquits a death sentence awardee and commutes the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment.
KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday rendered a significant verdict in the case involving the gang rape and murder of a 21-year-old college student that occurred in Kamduni, North 24 Parganas that shocked West Bengal a decade ago.
The High Court acquitted one individual who had initially been sentenced to capital punishment and commuted the death sentences of two others to life imprisonment.
Initially, a Barasat (lower) court had imposed the death penalty on three of the convicts and sentenced three others to life imprisonment for their roles in the horrifying incident, which unfolded on June 7, 2013, when the victim was returning home after completing an examination on a rainy day.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
In response to the High Court’s decision, the state government has decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court. The emotional impact of the verdict was palpable, as the victim’s brother fell unconscious on the court premises upon hearing the news.
In 2016, a lower court had handed down the death penalty to Amin Ali, Saiful Ali, and Ansar Ali, while Imanul Islam, Aminul Islam, and Bhola Naskar received life imprisonment sentences. The division bench, composed of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Ajay Kumar Gupta, acquitted Amin Ali and converted the death sentences of Saiful and Ansar to life imprisonment.
Furthermore, the bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest and that their convictions carry a maximum sentence of seven years, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each.
The family members of the victim expressed their dissatisfaction with the High Court’s decision, with one of the victim’s two brothers voicing their concerns, stating, “We are concerned about our security as three of the accused have been acquitted by the court.” The incident in 2013 shook the state and Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had visited the area and met the victim’s family members. She had also promised exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.
Guilty of criminal conspiracy
The bench acquitted Imanul, Aminul, and Bhola of the charges of gang rape but found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and tampering with evidence. Given that these three individuals have already spent more than a decade in incarceration since their arrest, the court directed their release upon payment of a fine of Rs 10,000 each.
What’s the case
June 7, 2013: Victim’s brothers discover the body near a fishery
June 8, 2013: Post-mortem confirms gangrape, murder
January 28, 2016: Additional sessions judge in Barasat hands out death sentence to three of the accused and life imprisonment to three others.
October 6, 2023: Calcutta HC acquits a death sentence awardee and commutes the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment.
