On Tuesday (21st May 2024), the Madhubani district court in Bihar sentenced four individuals to life imprisonment for gang-raping a minor Hindu girl. The four convicts include Mohammad Zafar Ansari, Mohammad Jibril, Mohammad Ahmed, and Akhtar Ansari. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of the convicts.
According to reports, the crime took place in the Harlakhi police station area of Madhubani. On 5th September 2022, the 16-year-old victim went with her brother to visit a fair in Kasera village. After some time, the victim went to a school near the fair venue for defecation. During this time, Mohammad Zafar Ansari, Mohammad Jibril, Mohammad Ahmed, and Akhtar Ansari also arrived there.
They caught hold of the victim and forcibly took her to the roof of the school building where they took turns to gang-rape her. Hearing the victim’s loud cries for help, people began gathering nearby. Fearing that they would be caught, all the culprits fled from the crime scene. However, passersby chased them, caught hold of Zafar Ansari, and handed him over to the Police.
During interrogation, he told Police that Mohammad Jibril, Mohammad Ahmed, and Akhtar Ansari were also involved in the crime. The police then raided and arrested the remaining three culprits. The next day, on 6th September 2022, the victim’s mother filed a complaint in the police station. Based on her complaint, the Police registered an FIR under Section 376 (D) of the IPC and POCSO Act and started an investigation.
The case was heard in the court of Devesh Kumar, the Additional District and Sessions Judge No. 7 (ADJ 7) of Madhubani. During the case proceedings, the defence and the prosecution submitted their arguments.
Following the completion of arguments by both sides, the court considered the evidence presented by the prosecution sufficient and sentenced Mohammad Zafar Ansari, Mohammad Jibril, Mohammad Ahmed, and Akhtar Ansari to life imprisonment.
The victim’s elder sister was also gang-raped: Victim’s Lawyer
Speaking with OpIndia, the victim’s lawyer said that the court, in its remarks, ordered that all the convicts be kept in jail until their last breath. He mentioned that during the trial, which lasted for one and a half years, the culprits changed lawyers multiple times; however, it proved to be of no benefit to them.
The court has asked the Bihar government to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh in this case. Advocate Ajay Jha Yash further stated that the victim’s elder sister was also gang-raped. The trial of that case is also going on in the court of ADJ 7. The sentencing in that case will be debated on 1st June 2024.
