After the conviction was held for 6 out of the 7 accused in the Kathua murder case, the Pathankot court has pronounced the sentence for the 6 convicted in the rape and murder of a minor girl named in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua. The courts have sentenced Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar to life imprisonment while the remaining three- SI Anand Dutta, head constable Tilak Raj and special police officer Surender Verma have been sentenced to five years for destruction of evidence.
#BREAKING – Quantum of punishment pronounced by Pathankot Court. Life imprisonment for 3 main convicts (Sanjhi Ram, Deepak Khajuria, and Parvesh Kumar). 5 years of jail term and fine for other 3 convicts. #KathuaRapeVerdict | @saahilmenghani with more details pic.twitter.com/ru6U72qHAl
— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 10, 2019
The District and Sessions Pathankot court judge Tejwinder Singh has handed life imprisonment to Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar under the Sections 302 (murder), 376D (gang rape) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). They have also been sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment, and all the sentences would run concurrently. These three convicts are also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh each. The seventh accused Vishal Jangotra was acquitted of all the charges.
The National Commission for Women has expressed dissatisfaction over the sentencing, saying it is not enough and they expected capital punishment in the case. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said that the state government should appeal against the verdict seeking the death sentence for the convicted persons.
According to the allegations mentioned in the charge sheet, an 8-year old girl was abducted and drugged before she was raped multiple times by several men. The charge sheet also mentions that the victim was held under captivity before being brutally murdered.
