Mar 4, 2012: Convicts to pay Rs 10k to gang rape victim

Soumittra S Bose, TNN | Mar 4, 2012, 01.10AM IST

NAGPUR: It is common for the court to take a serious note of crimes like gang rape and pass severe judgments. But district and additional sessions judge GT Kadri in his verdict ensured that justice also comes with a human touch.

The court on Saturday passed an order awarding Rs 10,000 compensation to a victim with the amount to be equally split and paid by the convicted duo. Baba Chambare and Raju Gotmare have been sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined Rs 3,000 each by the court which held them guilty for the offence of gang rape, punishable under section 376 (2) (G) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The families of the accused have some reason to cheer as the court took a lenient view of the case. Though Chambare and Gotmare could have been sentenced to up to minimum 10 years, the sessions court considered their socioeconomic situation and passed an order accordingly.

"The decision to reduce the sentence was prompted by the fact that the marriage of the Chambare's daughter may get affected if he is sentenced to a longer period. Similarly Gotmare's family could starve too," said additional public prosecutor Vijay Kolhe who said that prosecution had examined 80 witnesses during the trial.

"We had also appealed before the court as per the provision of the CrPC to award compensation to the victim rather than just slapping fines," he said. Kolhe added that the victim had also narrated her plight before the court. Reena (name changed) was heading to her residence in Gharad village in Kalmeshwar after work when she was intercepted by Chambare near the banks of Kharak river on February 23 in 2009. He forced Reena to sit on his cycle. Gotmare joined Chambare a little later and the duo dragged Reena to a desolate place.

While Gotmare pinned her down, Chambare raped her. Later, Gotmare forced himself on her. They later took Reena to another place near a well before taking turns to rape her again, after consuming liquor. The culprits also threatened Reena that she would be thrown into the well if she raised an alarm. The Kalmeshwar police nabbed Chambare and Gotmare on the following day after Reena had lodged a complaint. Police had found pieces of broken bangles of Reena near the well.

The duo has also been slapped with one year of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 each for an offence. They are also to face the sentence of one year and fine of Rs 1,000 each for offence punishable under section 506 (II) of IPC.

But, they were acquitted in the charges framed under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

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